


The Titans and the Lost Boy

by Lathis



Series: The Titans and The Lost Boy [1]
Category: Ranma 1/2, Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 293,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27460618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lathis/pseuds/Lathis
Summary: A story about a boy, a girl, another girl, some heroes, even more villains and a handful of martial artists thrown in for good measure. Follow Ryouga as he stumbles into a world of Super Human proportion. A Ranma X Teen Titans crossover, unlike any other.
Relationships: Hibiki Ryouga/Jinx, Hibiki Ryouga/Raven
Series: The Titans and The Lost Boy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006320
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	1. Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Case

Okay, hopefully you read this, because it's pretty important.

As far as the Teen Titans are concerned, this story takes place directly after the end of the second season of teen titans, after Terra and before Brother Blood makes his first appearance. It replaces Deception and everything that comes after it.

As far as Ranma goes, this series takes place 'before' the Saffron incident, roughly around Chapter 33 or so. So pretty much everyone is present now, and all the major event have happened, 'except' for the Saffron incident. I'm also freely using Anime and OAV episodes as well, as there is some good stuff in there. In fact, as far as speed, strength and such goes, I'm using Anime as the primary source, to be a bit closer to the Titans animated show. Using comic stuff on both sides leads to too much extreme stuff that makes it hard to balance. This kind of leaves both sides a bit underpowered to start with, but as the story progresses and I get more comfortable with it, I have been working to bring both sides more up to par with their better showings

P.S. – As I am reposting this here on AO3, I will be doing some edits and fixes that I aren’t present in the chapters over on FF.Net, in case anyone notices.

Now, Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Robin would be the first, though most reluctant to admit that things weren't exactly progressing as he’d hoped this mission. Only a few hours ago, he and his friends were lounging in the tower watching some cheesy kung fu flick Beast Boy had dug out of his closet.

Now they were lost, in the depths of China no less, and minus one T-Ship to get them home.

A massive granite fist interrupted the small Titan's musings, nearly taking his head with it.

 _'Oh yeah_.' To add to their luck, they were _also_ stuck in the middle of a battle with the animated pile of rubble affectionately known as Cinderblock.

Folding nearly ninety degrees backwards before he even realized he was acting; his instincts removed his body from the destructive limb's path. Even though the attack missed by a good five inches, the tearing winds assaulted his ears and nearly dropped him to the ground.

Not only was the gigantic golem currently giving them a hard time, it had been on top of them nearly the instant they landed; literally on top of them, in fact. Cinderblock was also the reason they were now without a means of transportation. As soon as the T-Ship had landed, a looming black shadow blotting out the sun had been their only warning before the behemoth had landed dead center of the vehicle.

Robin's backwards dodge flowed into an effortless flip and carried him well clear of Cinderblocks immediate range. He continued to back off, to get a better picture of the ensuing chaos.

The living statue's stone bulk had torn through the ship like tissue paper. If Beast Boy hadn't turned into something small enough to avoid the wreckage . . . well, Beast Boy was a lot less sturdy than the ship.

He quickly flipped to the side to avoid a hastily deflected Star Bolt, raising his titanium lined cape to protect himself from both the heat of the projectile and the resulting explosion of earth behind him. That minor threat avoided, Robin began to assess the situation once again.

They were in the in the Qinghai province of China, that much he knew. In the distance he could see the peaks of a vast mountain range, the Bayanlanka, or something like that; he'd only glanced at the map. They were in the rapidly widening clearing of a bamboo forest. The trees that were still standing shook violently from mere proximity to the brutal battle.

Starfire and Raven were both in the air, green and black energies blazing. Both females still looked shaken from the near miss. Neither of them had been hurt, but it must have been a tremendous shock to them, just how close Beast Boy had come to getting crushed. Indeed, he'd been worried for a few moments himself, before the green titan had miraculously reappeared, clinging to Cinderblock's face, and already cracking wise. It was a good thing, too; he had no idea how he would be able to live with himself if his decision to come here had gotten one of his teammates killed…

Feeling an uncharacteristic need for visual confirmation, Robin quickly scanned the clearing for the youngest Titan. Beast Boy was leaning against a large bamboo shoot at the edge of the clearing, catching his breath. The green youth might have vanished against the sea of green if not for his dark purple and black jumpsuit he wore. A moment later, the emerald shape changer pushed off from the bamboo, morphing himself into a bucking green bull to charge back into the fray.

Cyborg took advantage of Beast Boy's charge. As the Granite Behemoth spun to meet the changeling's reckless charge, Cyborg surged forward himself, slamming his titanium fist into Cinderblock's exposed back with a burst of white and blue sonic energy. The strike exploded in a cacophony of fury powerful enough to send the giant stumbling forward-

Right into the ebony horns of the charging bull.

The sound of keratin striking granite rang throughout the forest as Beast Boy slammed his lowered bovine cranium into Cinderblock's knees. Combined with the force of Cyborg's devastating punch, the stone monstrosity flipped over the bull and through the air before slamming to its back on the ground. The shockwave from the impact nearly knocked Robin off his feet again.

"BOOYAH! No one uses my baby as a door mat and gets away with it!" yelled the metallic titan, pumping his fists in the air.

"Hee-hee, the victory is ours!" giggled the floating Tamaranean. Starfire slowly floated down from her bird's eye view of the battle to land by the masked titan's side.

Robin was not so quick to celebrate their victory, though. He stepped back quickly, bringing his arms up defensively before him. "He's not done yet, everyone back, quick!"

Unfortunately, Beast Boy's enthusiastic attack had left him stunned and sitting on his butt only a few scant feet from the collapsed creature. The shape shifter's head was reeling, and his eyes swirled madly from the force of the impact.

"Uh. . . I think I dislocated my brain guys," blurted out the emerald changeling.

Seeing the rather precarious position that Beast Boy was in, Cyborg sprinted forward to help his disoriented friend.

* * *

"Move it Grass Stain, before the nickname becomes reality!"

Beast Boy shook his head, finally stopping the mad (and stomach churning) spin of the world around him. The first thing his tenuous grasp on reality revealed was Cyborg running towards him. He wasn't quite sure why that was; however, he got a clue quickly enough. The far too loud grinding of stone on stone only several feet to his rear drew his attention like a magnet.

A squeal of fear escaped his lips as he turned his head to see Cinderblock rising to its feet a short distance behind him. While he was still sitting on his butt!

In answer to an unspoken prayer, a salvo of green Star Bolts and several bamboo poles cloaked in black energy slammed into the monster's face, giving Cyborg the time to grab the shape changer's arm and pull him to safety.

"Good hustle on that tackle BB, just gotta work on that follow through, man," offered Cyborg, a smirk forming on his face.

"You know it, Dude! I just need something with a harder head next time," he replied, giving his friend the thumbs up.

"Something with a thicker skull than you normally have? Does such an animal exist? And if so, should we pity it?" came a wry remark from behind them.

Both turned to see Raven floating towards them.

"Heh, good one, Rae!" chuckled Cyborg.

Annoyance crossed Beast Boy's features for a moment, before he shrugged and laughed as well. "That was almost a joke, Raven, who knew you had it in you?"

Raven smirked vindictively at the jade Titan. "My attempts will _always_ be funnier than your actual jokes."

She then turned to glare at Cyborg.

"And don't. Call. Me. _Rae_! Or I'll personally redecorate my room with your parts, understood?" The dark teen bit off each word with livid abandon.

Beast Boy looked to Cyborg, who looked back to Beast Boy. For a moment, they held their collective ground . . . for a moment. Then both were retreating to the tumultuous battle with Cinderblock.

After all, even a raging monolith wasn't nearly as frightful as Raven could be at times.

* * *

Raven shook her hooded head in amusement as the two young men fled from her mock wrath.

A moment later, she once more levitated over the raging melee. She lamented the battlefield which had been chosen for them. Normally a forest offered a variety of useful weapons for her to use against her opponents. Unfortunately, the same could not be said concerning the sea of bamboo that surrounded them.

As it was, she was not fighting at her full potential. For the most part she was relegated to using the relatively flimsy bamboo shoots to distract the golem so it couldn't hurt her companions. And despite the fact that he had just turned tail and run from her, she was certain that Cyborg would have some choice words for her if she used the merrily burning wreckage of the T-Ship as projectiles, only to damage them even worse.

A flash of green drew her attention to the side. Starfire was beside her now, having just unleashed a powerful optic blast at the living statue below them. How effective it was, who could really say?

"Our opponent is most resilient, is he not, friend Raven?" asked the floating alien.

Raven could only nod in agreement. "He does seem to be lasting longer than usual. Of course, I don't exactly have much to work with here and Robin lost a lot of his equipment getting out of the ship."

The two young women looked down to the bird in question. Even without his discs and birdarangs he was doing well. His staff was out and flashing in an intricate dance of steel and stone. To her side, Starfire winced as Robin narrowly dodged a haymaker from Cinderblock; only to cheer enthusiastically as the masked Titan recovered instantly to flip onto the golem's wrist and begin running up the length of its arm.

When he reached Cinderblock's shoulder, he lashed out with his staff in an elaborate string off attacks. The report of titanium staff against granite skull rang out with all the reckless fury of an automatic rifle.

The massive beast reeled from the blows, stumbling back and desperately waving its limbs to dislodge its unwanted passenger. Robin nimbly leapt from its shoulder to land several yards away. Just in time, as well, as a second later the blue energy of Cyborg's sonic cannon blasted into Cinderblock's face with all its acoustical wrath.

Already unbalanced, the giant once again teetered, crashing to its back in a massive cloud of dust and debris. Almost immediately, it began pulling itself from the crater created from its own monolithic weight.

"Titans, we're not doing enough damage. We need to combine our attacks!" yelled out their young leader.

Robin then ran over to Beast Boy's side. "You and I will ram him at the same time; that should put him off his feet long enough for them to put him down, got it?"

Beast Boy nodded eagerly. "No problemo, Robin, this overgrown garden gnome is goin down!"

Robin turned to the other three "You guys got it? When he's off balance, hit him with everything you've got at the same time!"

"Preferably after I'm out of the way, too, don't forget that part," added a nervous sounding Beast Boy.

Raven's eyes rolled even as Starfire and Cyborg nodded in the affirmative.

Taking another second to coordinate their efforts, Robin and Beast Boy then charged to attack the large creature as it strove to recover. Slowly rising from the earth, the ponderous bulk that was Cinderblock spun awkwardly to face the coming assault.

The vigilante and the changeling leapt into the air at the same time. Robin's leap flowed into a powerful flying kick, while Beast Boy's form swelled obscenely into that of a four-hundred-pound gorilla in mid flight-

With a startling speed for something so large, Cinderblock lashed out, snagging the two heroes from of the air with a single motion. The collision was tremendous, knocking the air out of both titans even as the giant stumbled, however, Cinderblock did not fall this time, and quickly pulled the pair into a crushing bear hug.

" _No_!" The voices of the three free Titans mingled into one as they cried their distress.

Instantly, Cyborg shot forward and grabbed Cinderblock's left arm. Simultaneously, Starfire latched on to the beast's right arm. With their tremendous strength the duo strained to uncurl the golem's deadly grip.

Thinking quickly, Raven flew up in front of the beast. As carefully as she could, she focused her power and summoned forth an ebony cloak of energy to surround her friends; both to protect them and pull them free when Starfire and Cyborg had created enough space.

The ear-splitting sounds of stone grinding and steel squealing were deafening as the two strongest titans pitted their might against the unnatural concrete behemoth.

Like the opening of a rusted gate, its arms slowly began to separate. Cyborg and Starfire strained in the contest of muscle, arms shaking, veins popping and sweat drenching their faces.

Raven floated closer to get a better mental hold on her friends. She could feel Cinderblock's hold on them begin to loosen, and she attempted to pull them free.

"Raven, _get back_!"

It was choked out by their gasping leader and was all the warning she got before Cinderblock burst into action. Suddenly, the beast's arms swept apart forcefully. Starfire and Cyborg both were launched to separate ends of the clearing, as all their efforts were suddenly turned against them. Robin and Beast Boy, both wrapped in the black shroud of her power, shot upwards, the force that was holding them unexpectedly vanishing.

All of this happened so fast Raven could only gasp as she suddenly found herself floating approximately six feet in front of an enormous, enraged, and unencumbered Cinderblock. The giant's fist, still reared back from throwing off the Tamaranean, careened towards her. The scream of its passage through the air was all she could hear as the massive stone appendage came to fill her vision.

And then her world exploded spectacularly to black.

* * *

Starfire's abrupt and undesired flight to the distant end of the clearing had been most distressing. One moment, she had been straining with all her might to move the giant's arm, when suddenly it had obliged her. Fortunately, or unfortunately, her back had slammed with excruciating brutality into the unyielding hull of one of the remaining sections of the smashed T-Ship.

It was probably the only thing that kept her from leaving the clearing entirely, as Cyborg had seemed to have done. Thus, it was that she was able to see the event that was unfolding at the center of the clearing.

Time seemed to slow down as she took in the scene before her. Cinderblock was standing at the center of the clearing, both arms held out behind it from its forceful ejection of its passengers. Some thirty feet above it were Robin and Beast Boy, Raven's dark energy just beginning to dissipate.

And there, floating directly in front of the frightfully enraged Cinderblock, a look of helpless shock on her face, was her dear friend Raven.

Starfire tried to stand, to go help her friend, but the pain in her back flared like a small sun. She instantly collapsed back against the uncomfortably warm steel of the T-Ship, yet, despite the pain she strived to move forward, her hand reaching out with wild desperation. In her heart, though, she knew there was nothing she could do. . .

Reflected in her jade eyes, Cinderblock's stony fist began to swing forward, slowly, and inexorably, like the watching of a catastrophic locomotive collision.

Then, time once again resumed its normal flow. Robin and Beast Boy began to fall to the earth, helpless anger burning in their eyes. They had seen exactly what she had and were just as helpless to stop it. Fighting the flaring pain in her spine, Starfire leaned forward, brilliant emerald energy building in her eyes-

But she was too slow. Cinderblock's fist flashed forward, so amazingly fast now. Raven had only enough time to cross her arms in a pathetic attempt at defense.

In a flash of black energy, Cinderblock's strike crushed into the dark titan with a sound that would haunt Starfire's dreams for years to come. The unbelievable power of the attack launched the Gothic Titan into the air, a violet tipped bullet flying far beyond the tree line and out of sight.

" **Raven**!"

" **No**!"

" **Raauuggh**!"

The stabbing pain lancing through the Tamaranean's back melted away to nothing in an instant. Before she even realized what she was doing, Starfire was flying forward, leaving a flaming trail of scorched earth in her wake. She crossed the clearing in the blink of an eye, reaching the murderous Cinderblock at the same moment that Robin and Beast Boy descended from their own flights.

The sound of their combined fury rang across the countryside.

* * *

The young man knocked aside yet another shrubbery which dared to block his path. With a sigh of exhaustion, he stopped walking. Drawing a weary arm across his brow to remove any sweat, the youth took in his surroundings.

It was obvious to him that he was lost, yet again. Not that _that_ was anything new to the wandering teen. Being lost wasn't really an emergency for him, more of a lifestyle really.

It still sucked though.

"The world is a dark and lonely place," muttered the lost boy. Hardly an original thought for him, but he liked to verbally reassure himself of how terrible his life was occasionally, if only to hear a human voice.

And the last few weeks had been some of the worst of his life, making his little diatribe feel that much truer. Of course, anyone that knew him would scoff; after all he was always saying that the past few weeks were the worst weeks of his life.

This time he really meant it.

But then, losing, irrevocably, his one true love, the girl whom he had given his heart to, was bound to put him in a lousy mood, he guessed.

He briefly shook his head, hoping to derail his current and depressing train of thought. His flailing black follicles revealed an unusual yellow and black bandana holding his hair out of his eyes or attempting too at any rate. He had more immediate concerns than dwelling on the past anyway, no matter how painful.

Item one on that list, of course, was the fact that he was currently lost in a forest. . .. either that or he had gotten turned around in the panda exhibit at the zoo again. Damn designers making the habitat so realistic. If he hadn't noticed that it was the same panda, he kept walking past, he'd probably still be there.

As it was, it had been an embarrassing conversation he ended up having with the panda's keeper.

Well he was fairly sure he wasn't in the zoo this time. And since he was surrounded by bamboo that narrowed down where he could be. It seemed certain he was in China, again, and lost, as usual. Really, this country had caused him nothing but misery, in one form or another. At least it didn't look like it was going to rain.

Suddenly the wanderer cocked an ear to the air. A strange sound caught his attention. It wasn't the natural sounds that he had lived with and grown accustomed to for most of his life and stood out like a sour note. Strangely, it was an awfully familiar noise and he recognized it almost immediately.

It was the sound of a human body falling from a high altitude.

He took a quick moment to reflect on the fact that he should so intimately know that sound and chalked it up to being slightly worrying.

Turning his eyes skyward revealed only a green canopy. He needed to get above the trees quickly if he wanted to have any chance at helping whoever it was that was falling.

Slightly bending his legs, the young man launched himself into the air. Amazingly, his first jump sent him flying nearly thirty feet straight up. Then, grabbing a nearby tree in one hand, he launched himself even further skyward in an immense display of strength.

The unusually talented youth cleared the tops of the trees and witnessed the beautiful majesty of the cloudless sapphire sky hanging over him. He hardly had time to appreciate it, though, as he quickly spied the target of his search: a blue, gray, and black form hurtling through the air. Whoever the person was, they were on the descent and would crash into the trees in another few seconds and then the ground a second or so after that.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the figure would overshoot his position if he didn't do anything.

A quick scan of the bamboo below him revealed his only option.

He landed gracefully on the top of one of the shoots below him. The ball of his foot rested precariously on the shoot while his toes clung to the sides, his other leg he pulled tightly up to his chest for balance. He then exploded into motion, skillfully running from tree to tree, desperately trying to get beneath the falling form.

Just as the figure looked to be out of reach, he gave one final push, leaping from the last tree. Shooting out like an arrow he just managed to catch the cape - _'Huh, who wears a cape?_ ' - of the person. Not wanting to snap their neck like a twig, he used the cape to gently pull the figure close enough so that he could wrap his free arm around the figure's waist and draw them to his chest before he inevitably succumbed to gravity.

After the hectic chase and catch, the descent was quiet, almost serene. He took the fractions of a second to take in the scenery surrounding him. The sea of green really was vibrant and the gentle rustling of the leaves was rather soothing.

He landed easily from the free fall, though he did feel a slight strain in his knees. While his unknowing passenger felt nearly weightless in his arms, he forgot that he was still wearing his backpack and umbrella strapped to his back and that weight combined with the long fall was a bit much even for his legs.

Ignoring the pain, a feat he was more than used to, he took in the condition of the person whom he had just saved.

Well, it was obviously a girl; the leotard really didn't leave much to the imagination, that was for sure. He shuddered briefly, he sure hoped she wasn't as mentally unbalanced as the other girl he knew that ran around in a leotard all the time.

Other than that, she seemed to be cute. She had purple hair. . . an Amazon maybe? He might even be close to their village. The unusual young woman also had a gem stuck to her forehead. For some reason it struck a memory, something he heard once in his wanderings. Chakra? Or something like that. It wasn't really his specialty; he only really worked with chi himself. It did make her look more exotic, though.

The gray skin was a little worrying. She didn't feel dead, or anything, and people turned blue when they weren't breathing . . . or so he'd heard, anyway. Maybe she was sick, or something? Still her breathing was steady and normal, so asides from being unconscious, she seemed to be fine.

Satisfied that she wasn't in any danger, he took a more analytical look. She had good muscle tone and obviously kept in shape. She might even be a martial artist like himself; come to think of it, he hadn't had a good spar in quite awhile.

His eyes suddenly widened in shock, not for anything he saw, but for what he _sensed_ **.**

The young man prided himself on being a powerful martial artist and he had long since learned to harness his chi to enhance his skills. Another ability he had developed, almost as a by-product, was the ability to sense the chi in others. It was an especially useful ability, heck, he had gotten so used to it that he rarely registered it consciously anymore.

However, after holding this girl for a few moments, his senses had kicked into overdrive. Her chi was definitely _not_ human. In fact, the only thing he remembered having chi that felt like this was that damned _Oni_. And this girl felt vastly stronger than the demon that had possessed everyone all those months ago.

A strange sensation began crawling its way up his spine. He was pretty certain it was fear, as alien as that concept was to him; it had been awhile since he had felt it and quite frankly, he was usually too stubborn to let something like being totally outclassed stop him from attacking someone.

However, this deceptively attractive young woman filled his heart with a cold dread unlike anything he had ever felt before . . .

Another strange sensation begged his attention. He found his eyes drawn up from the girl's body - where he had been staring, but not really staring . . . sort of . . . he wasn't sure how the whole chi sensing thing worked, to her face. Or, more importantly, to her eyes. The young woman's eyes which had opened while he was looking elsewhere.

Her violet orbs held him in place with frightening intensity, and probably anger. . . demons were usually angry about stuff.

And he seriously doubted she was going let him off easy just because he helped her out.

* * *

' _Mmmmm'_ . . . the dark Titan felt the bonds of sleep loosening from her. It was a very odd sensation, and slightly worrying, as she had no recollection of going to sleep.

Hmm, something else was registering as odd. She couldn't feel the familiar weight of her blankets resting across her chest, yet she still felt warm . . . comfortably warm and strangely, she felt safe as well. She was lying on something, but whatever it was did not feel like her bed. Maybe she was in a chair? Whatever it was, it was warm, but felt extremely hard and unyielding.

Maybe opening her eyes would reveal the answers to her quandary?

Slowly and reluctantly, the young Goth forced her eyes to open.

Yes. She was still dreaming.

How else could she possibly explain the fact that she was currently being held in the arms of some strange man in the middle of a bamboo forest? Really, it made no sense whatsoever to her . . . though the bamboo ticked something in the back of her mind.

She shook off the strange feeling for a moment to analyze the situation.

The man. . . not even that, he didn't really look much older than her or the other Titans. He was Asian, with sharp features. After that she noted his raven black hair, held up by a tacky yellow and black headband. The teen seemed to like yellow since he wore a sleeveless t-shirt of the same color. Said t-shirt gave her a fair look at his arms and chest, well muscled and nicely toned and... and... she broke off that line of thought. It had been bad enough when she had embarrassed herself so thoroughly over Aqualad.

The stranger's mouth hung slightly open, taking in breath as if he had just exerted himself. Something else struck her as odd. He had fangs; not like Beast Boy's, though, these were long canines, like from her vampire novels.

Interesting, she decided to file that fact away for later consideration.

Finally, she noticed his eyes. They were a dark brown and his stare was intense. More like he was staring through her than at her.

Overall, if she were Starfire, she would say the Asian youth was . . . cute? Possibly even handsome. But she wasn't Starfire, so she'd would just proceed with the minimalism that she was known for and say. . . nice. That seemed to sum it up.

He wore a concerned look on his face, which was good in her opinion, but he did seem to be staring a bit much. Not quite feeling up to talking yet, she decided to stare at him until she got his attention . . . it usually worked on the other Titans after all.

It seemed to work in record time. As if sensing her look, the boy's eyes refocused and slowly he turned his head to face her.

What wasn't going quite as she had planned was the look of borderline terror which seemed to be spreading across his face as he finally turned to meet her gaze. The two gazed into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. Raven was almost beginning to feel the temptation to start blushing from his scrutiny. She decided to break the long silence and introduce herself to the nice imaginary man her subconscious had manufactured-

When suddenly he dropped her - _hard_.

Her eyes widened in shock and she let out a small grunt of pain as her tailbone collided jarringly with the ground. The man then leapt away from her, almost fifteen feet, horizontally, from standing still, and backwards. She would have been impressed if she weren't so annoyed that she had just been dropped on her bottom.

Slowly she stood up, gingerly rubbing her posterior. . . _'Hey!_ ', come to think of it, her forearms were aching terribly as well, but why could that possibly be?

She decided to ignore that for the moment and focused her coldest glare on the inconsiderate oaf before her. She finally opened her mouth to speak.

* * *

The wandering martial artist watched the demon before him rise to its feet. He did feel a little bad about dropping her like that, but what could he say . . . he'd panicked. Still, she was putting on a good show of being a normal girl.

Heck, he was no demon expert, but he knew a glare of female wrath when he saw one. This demon really knew what it was doing. In fact, her glare was more intimidating that most of the girls he already knew . . . Why did girls glare at him so much anyways? It's not like he went out of his way to offend anyone, really.

The presence of her demonic aura snapped him back to awareness. The girl's power was tremendous, greater than anything he had ever felt before and as black as all night. He'd never seen a black aura before. Unfortunately, she was also obviously mad at him . . . now he _really_ regretted dropping her.

' _Yes_ ', he decided, _'I am so going to die.'_

Still, no one said he had to go down without a fight.

As Ranma was so fond of saying, he had _never_ known when to quit. If he was going to go down, at the very least, he was going to make sure this admittedly pretty demon never forgot the name of Hibiki Ryouga.

* * *

Raven was ready to vent her frustrations on her dream companion. This dream was quickly losing its charm. Here she was, intrigued at finally having one of those "romantic" dreams that Starfire was always telling her about. Everything seemed to be in line with the Tamaranean's stories; a handsome man (thankfully not Robin), a tender embrace, a concerned expression on his face-

And then he's dropped her, the look of concern melting into a mask of fear. This was a definite departure from her friend's steamy dreams.

She briefly bemoaned the unfairness of it all.

She opened her mouth, ready to give the boy a stern talking to about how this dream was supposed to go when-

"Demon! Do you know that you face Hibiki Ryouga!"

 _'Huh?_ ' That had been unexpected. Everything started buffeting her at once. How did he know she was half demon? Why was he getting ready to attack her? . . .Why were his shins tied in criss-crossing cords?

Really, it made him look like a ballerina.

The young man then took an unfamiliar martial arts stance.

 _'Hmm._ ' Maybe this was one of Robin's dreams and she had fallen into it? But then why would Robin be dreaming about hunky Asian men? Though that could explain a few things; she did wonder about their masked leader sometimes.

"Excuse me?" She decided to try to figure this out before things got out of hand.

Either the strange martial artist didn't hear her, or he was ignoring her. He seemed to have gotten over his fear and had jumped directly into anger himself.

"I may not have anything to live for, Demon!" Well that was depressing; maybe he read the same books she did? "-But you won't take my life without a fight! Your reign of terror ends here!"

' _What_?' Reign of terror? Taking lives? What was this person thinking? That was the last time she watched one of Beast Boy's movies before bed-

' _Wait just one moment_!' With all of the subtlety of a bursting dam, her memories of the past several hours poured forth into her consciousness: Beast Boy's kung fu movie, following the H.I.V.E. ship, landing in China . . . fighting Cinderblock . . . a huge granite fist filling her vision . . .

 _This was no dream_.

She gasped in shock, this was real and that Hibiki person was getting ready to fight her to the death because he thought she was a demon. She tried to yell out, tell him that this was all a misunderstanding, when the young man tightly crossed his arms across his chest.

" _Shi Shi_!" The strange words burst from the stranger's lips, a pale azure orb of energy forming directly before his crossed forearms, as if summoned by the cryptic chant.

And then Raven's world dissolved into a swirling green void of pain.

* * *

Ryouga stared at the demon before him. She still hadn't done anything, except perhaps quirk an eyebrow when he took his combat stance. She obviously didn't feel threatened by him at all.

She had said something, but it had been lost over the distance and the sound of his blood pounding in his ears. He needed to end this quickly. He knew that demons were usually all but immune to physical attack. He was going to have to use his only chi attack, an all or nothing strike to destroy the demon before it could raise its defenses.

Of course, he knew that there was no way the Shi Shi Houkodan was powerful enough to destroy this demon. He was certain that he was going to die. The demon would probably fly straight to Nerima after it was done with him to begin killing all his old friends in retaliation for this slight.

The feelings of depression and worthlessness spiraled around him, pulling him to new depths of despair.

He almost smirked.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, coalescing all the pain, all the heavy emotions which filled his soul, into a physical manifestation of pure torment, a sphere of roiling spiritual power.

He looked to the demon before him; she looked like she was about to say something, when suddenly a look of surprise crossed her features.

Damn! She sensed what he was doing! It was now or never!

" _Shi Shi_!" He howled his mantra, focusing all his concentration on the sphere before him. The orb took on a pale azure glow, becoming visible to the naked eye.

Once again, he looked at the demon, preparing to utter the final word of his attack and unleash all its devastating power upon her tiny frame-

When suddenly she collapsed, holding her temples in apparent agony.

' _Huh_! _What was going on?_ ' His concentration suddenly gone, the sphere of chi in front of him popped with all the fury of a fragile soap bubble.

He stood straight and scratched his head in confusion. That was odd; usually people were only hurt by the Shi Shi Houkodan when he fired the orb at them. He'd never seen anyone drop just from seeing it before. The cloaked figure hardly looked like an evil demon now. She looked kind of like a normal girl. . . well as normal as you can get wearing a leotard outside of a gymnasium. She also looked like a normal girl in a large amount of pain.

He stood there for several moments, shuffling from one foot to the other. True she was a demon; he could still feel her aura, even from fifteen feet away. However, she looked like she could use help. And wasn't it part of the martial artist's code to help those in need?

With a heavy sigh, and against his better judgment, Ryouga walked over and knelt beside the violet haired young woman.

* * *

Raven's world was pain. Not physical pain, though. No, physical pain she could have dealt with, she was more than used to that after years of fighting super-powered criminals.

No, Raven was drowning in a sea of emotional anguish. Despair, anger, hatred, it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Having so carefully controlled her own emotions for so long, she wasn't accustomed to such overpowering feelings. And now things besieged her which she couldn't even hope to control.

The dark colors swirled around her in a maelstrom. She felt loneliness, she knew the feeling well herself, but magnified far beyond her own controlled emotion. Then jealousy, a burning toxic feeling, of who she felt jealous she had no idea but it was as sharp as a razor to her sensitive psyche. Then a dozen other emotions, each powerful, all uncontrolled, and every one of them negative and destructive-

Her descent into chaos was distracted by something. A presence touched her mind… no, wait; that was a physical sensation. A hand on the shoulder, that's what it was. She latched onto the sensation, used it as an anchor to pull herself back into control.

Eventually she felt the emotions recede and begin to dissipate altogether. Other emotions began to take their place, faint by comparison. Concern, curiosity… embarrassment. After several more moments, she finally regained her equilibrium enough to open her eyes.

She looked down to her shoulder. Lying across it was a hand. It was larger than her own and much darker, obviously tanned from being outdoors a great deal. The hand itself was rough and calloused, but felt soft and reassuring on her shoulder.

She looked up from the hand and once again locked eyes with the strange Asian martial artist. He seemed to be slightly embarrassed, like touching her shoulder was more intimate than he was used to, it was slightly amusing.

"You know," she began slowly, "I liked it better when I thought you were a dream."

The strange teen looked down at her and blinked several times.

* * *

Cyborg finally found his way back to the clearing. Damn sneaky stone monsters, throwing you around when you least expect it. He added another tally to his list of reasons to bust Cinderblock into construction materials, right below smashing his beautiful T-Ship.

A sigh escaped his lips; he hadn't even had a chance to test the new turbo booster system he'd installed. He'd show Raven macho overcompensating when she was squashed like a pancake into her seat from the gee's they'd be pulling! Oh well, perchance to dream, and all that junk.

As it was, something was different when he finally entered the clearing again. Granted Cinderblock was still there. And he was still fighting the titans, just like when Cyborg had been so rudely ejected.

However something seemed different this time around. Beast Boy, Robin and Starfire all looked pissed, _damn_ pissed, really. Cinderblock looked a little worse off, a few cracks and craters had appeared since last he saw the creature.

Something was missing, too . . . T-Ship still in pieces (Jerk was gonna pay for that!) Big monster still there . . . _wait_!

Where was Raven?

Things started to add up in his mind. Titans angry, Cinderblock damaged, Raven missing.

Unfortunately the sums that were appearing in his head were not good. Something must have happened to Raven, and for everyone to be that mad, even Starfire, it must have been serious.

" _Rrraaahhhh_!" With a yell of fury, Cyborg re-entered the fray, sonic cannon blazing.

No one hurt his friends.

No one.

* * *

The odd pair sat across from each other. Ryouga sat with his legs crossed and leaning lightly against his large backpack. Raven, sitting in the lotus position, and staring intently. What the difference between sitting cross-legged and lotus position was, who could know, but that's how they saw themselves sitting at any rate.

"Well I'd say the 'you saving me' thing was cancelled out by the 'you trying to kill me' thing," started the gothic Titan. Ryouga had the good graces to look ashamed at her accusation.

"However, even though you thought I was a demon intent on your destruction…" She let the statement hang in the air, silently enjoying the way he squirmed under her scrutiny. "You did come to my aid again. So, I suppose a thank you is in order."

He looked up at her tentatively to respond, "It's alright, really. It's a martial artist's duty to help people."

Raven quirked an eyebrow at that. "Robin never mentioned any martial artist code. But still, now that we've gotten past the awkward 'attacking each other phase' . . . My name is Raven." She then extended one of her hands to the young man in greetings.

The man looked at her hand in confusion for a moment before shrugging and taking it.

"My name is –"

"-Hibiki Ryouga, yes, you mentioned that," Raven interrupted with a smirk, "Do you always greet people by threatening them?"

Ryouga raised a hand behind his head and started rustling his hair in embarrassment.

"Well… not always," he finished lamely.

Raven felt a smile rising in her and quashed it immediately. Slowly, she rose.

"Well it's been interesting meeting you Hibiki-"

"Ryouga," he interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"Hibiki is my family name, it's traditional in Japan to say that first. But you can call me Ryouga. Since you gave me your first name as well, it's only proper." He bowed slightly to her.

"Ah yes, it had slipped my mind. Again, thank you, Ryouga, but I must go. My friends are fighting a powerful criminal and they need my help."

With that Raven began levitating and started to quickly fly back the way she came.

A sound from her side drew her attention. She looked over. . . and nearly fell from the sky for lack of concentration. She was moving quickly, but right beside her, keeping pace by jumping from branch to branch like some super powered squirrel, was Ryouga. Impressively, he didn't really look like he was pushing himself too hard.

"Umm, what are you doing?" she asked calmly as the two raced along.

"Well, I don't know much about much," he started. Once again, his hand moved through the hair at the back of his head. "But I do know a lot about fighting. And helping you and your friends out is the least I can do for hurting you."

She considered telling him to turn back, but, then he wasn't really slowing her down and it wasn't like she and her friends couldn't protect him when they got back to the fight. Frankly, she couldn't really see the harm and couldn't gather the motivation to try to force the matter either.

With a shrug she continued to fly on. As a calm finally settled across the quickly moving pair, a moment of curiosity struck her.

"How did you do that, anyway?" she asked obscurely.

He looked back at her. "Do what?"

"That emotional attack you used on me; how did you do that? Are you a psychic?"

His look changed from curiosity to confusion quickly. "Heh, that's the first time anyone's accused me of having any mental power." He smirked self deprecatingly. Then caught something.

"How did you know it was an emotion-based attack? Not even Ranma figured it out that quickly," he asked, somewhat surprised.

She looked back, with a somewhat blasé expression. "Because it was an attack that affected my emotions. I've never been hit with such a powerful psychic attack before."

His look of confusion only increased. He nearly missed the next branch completely and only after some scrambling was he able to get back in step with her.

"Umm what do you mean? I didn't even hit you with the Shi shi Houkodan; you collapsed before I even finished it."

This time it was her turn to be confused. "What? You didn't even finish the attack? Well what was it supposed to do then?"

"Well, usually I focus my chi into a sphere, and then I throw the sphere at my opponent. It hits them like. . . like, well like a big fist of solid air, I guess. And that generally knocks most people out," he explained.

"Hmm, that's odd, that's not what happened at all. . . wait, you said it was an emotion based technique, but what do emotions have to do with you smacking people around with balls of solid air?" she asked curiously.

Ryouga considered this question a bit before answering. "Well, the Shi Shi Houkodan is powered by heavy chi. So, to make my chi heavy enough I focus on my negative emotions like depression and loneliness and things like that. And then I project my heavy chi at my enemy. How did Ranma put it, 'heavy heart, heavy chi'?"

Raven mulled that over in her mind. "So, basically you concentrate all of your negative feelings and then project them outwards?"

"Yeah I guess that's pretty much it."

Raven screeched to a stop, causing the following boy to completely lose his concentration and crash to the ground below. She floated down to where the, apparently undamaged, teen was getting to his feet.

"So, you mean to tell me that you can fire an energy blast that is based solely on your feelings of angst?"

Something about the question put Ryouga on the defensive. "Yeah, what of it?"

This time a small smile formed on the gothic teen’s lips.

"I have a friend whom I think you simply must meet."

And then, without another word, she flew off again.

Ryouga could only stare in wonder for a moment.

Then he realized if he didn't follow her _now_. . . he was going to end up lost and probably never see her again.

* * *

Beast Boy continued his rather futile efforts to vent his frustrations on the run amok destruction set beneath him. He could hardly remember the last time that anything had gotten him so angry, but seeing Raven smacked out over the forest like a human homerun, that had set him off something fierce.

Of course, after nearly getting himself killed a few times, the changeling had quickly been forced to calm the heck down and start using his head again -

 _'Oops_!' He quickly morphed into a mongoose to avoid a wild swing of the golem's bulky fist, then shifted into an elephant between its legs to throw Cinderblock off its feet.

 _'Heh. Score, it worked_!' And down goes the giant.

' _Ouch_!' Beast Boy quickly dove to the side, wincing in pained sympathy. That had looked extremely painful. Star Bolts should not go there . . . Ever!

Well, to be fair to the furious Tamaranean, they were all ticked. That jerk taking a cheap shot at Raven like that was _so_ not cool. But it looked like Robin's hunch was turning out to be right. Ever since it had taken out Raven, Cinderblock has been fighting on the defensive.

 _'Like he's not trying to beat us, just delay us._ ' Unfortunately, it was working, which was only making the situation that much more annoying.

Turning into a gorilla, Beast Boy jumped on the exposed back of the gray behemoth. He struggled vainly to hold the monster still as Cyborg laid into it with his sonic cannon. He could see a few flakes of masonry float past him as the blue beam of solid sound tore into the villain's stony hide.

Then he felt an overly large hand wrap around his arm. With a titanic surge, Cinderblock pulled him over its head and tossed him right at his cybernetic comrade-

As if that would work.

A quick change into an eagle and he soared up over his friend and circled back to face the animated inanimate object. Hmm if the clearing weren't so small, he could do his famous whale drop . . . but he'd likely squash all his friends flat here.

Well, he might as well take advantage of his bird form while he was up here.

* * *

Cinderblock's tiny mind was tightly wrapped around one single thought . . . _'Delay the Titans'._ As such, it had restrained itself greatly, not charging off in random directions trying to bury his enemies like an avalanche. It was a bit hard staying in one place just letting his enemies sting him continually like a nest of hornets.

The beast was planning to reduce the number of titans remaining to three-

When something white and slimy splattered across his eyes, blinding him.

* * *

Raven could clearly hear combat now. Still, as eager as she was to rejoin her friends, she still found herself to be confused by her current companion. Ryouga seemed to have all the classic signs of chronic depression; she boggled slightly; he had literally become so depressed that he could use it as a weapon. Did that even make sense?

And yet the boy she saw before her looked healthy and strong, he even joked with her and went out of his way to help her.

Really, she had expected someone with that much emotional baggage to be more . . . well more like her she supposed. Withdrawn, pale, reserved, but this strange teen seemed to have no emotional restraint whatsoever.

Well, it was a puzzle for another day; she could see the clearing ahead of her now. Bursts of blue and green energy were already visible between the foliage. She silently flew into the clearing and heard Ryouga land close beside her.

Things looked to be very hectic. Cinderblock looked damaged, a rarity indeed, and her friends were attacking with righteous fury . . . well, more righteous fury than usual in Starfire's case.

It struck her. They must have thought she was seriously hurt, or worse. She supposed it was natural considering how close Beast Boy had gotten to being hurt earlier. Still, if she hadn't gotten that shield in front of her just before Cinderblock's last hit connected, well, she'd have had a lot more than sore forearms.

Instead of falling on Ryouga she might have been raining on him.

She shivered slightly at the macabre image in her head.

"Stay back, we'll handle this monster," she ordered Ryouga. She started to float forward to join her friends when she heard a soft chuckle coming from behind her.

She turned slowly to see Ryouga chuckling to himself. With a little practice, and a lot of credit, it might have been called an evil chuckle. However, it was ruined when he folded over and started laughing out loud.

In fact, his laugh was loud enough to get the attention of everyone in the clearing, even Cinderblock's. Raven felt everyone's eyes on her now. She felt a little warm inside at the relieved and joyous gazes from her friends. Then their gazes moved over to the martial artist beside her and became questioning.

Ryouga straightened up, shaking his head, and wiping a tear from his eye. A few last chuckles escaped his lips.

"Who is this guy?" muttered Cyborg to the green changeling standing beside him.

"A whacko from the looks of it, but what's he doin with Raven?" answered Beast Boy.

Robin's eye mask narrowed as the Asian stranger started walking towards Cinderblock, a smile on his face and a spring in his step.

Starfire floated to land beside Raven and gave her a quick, non-bone-crushing hug. "It is glorious to see you return to us unharmed, Raven. But who is your companion and why does he make with the laughing of the mentally destabilized?" asked the concerned alien.

Raven could only shake her head. "It's a long story, but we better save him before he gets himself killed."

* * *

Ryouga concentrated on following the girl in front of him. He knew if he didn't keep her in sight he'd likely get lost almost instantly. Luckily, she seemed to be a fan of moving in straight lines, so he wasn't having too much trouble.

He could hear combat ahead of him now. Several moments later, their destination was in sight. The bamboo opened wide before them, revealing a massive, recently created clearing absolutely filled with destruction. Raven landed at the outer edge of the carnage and he landed just behind her to take in the scene.

Okay . . . the scene was strange, even for him

There were five figures in the clearing already. The one that stood out most was, of course, the twelve-foot-tall stone monster.

Things didn't get much more normal from there. Floating above the monster was a very tall girl with orange skin and flaming red hair. Not to mention jade beams of energy were _shooting from her eyes_.

Next there was a large, dark skinned person, well at least it seemed so, since most of the man seemed to be covered in some form of metallic armor.

Then there was the small boy with the green skin and purple jumpsuit. The pointed ears were a bit strange too. Cool fangs, though.

Finally, there was the most normal looking one of the group. Which wasn't saying much, really. He was a small teen, wearing a mask, spandex and a cape. The way he moved seemed to show he had a bit of training in the martial arts, but Ryouga couldn't really be sure how good he was without seeing him in action. Still, meeting another martial artist was always a fun prospect.

Really, though, there was _far_ too much skin-tight clothing in this clearing for his comfort.

Judging by everyone's reaction to them entering the clearing, it was obvious that the latter four were Raven's friends and the large stone monster was not. Not that that really surprised him in retrospect.

Then suddenly it hit him.

He couldn't stop himself; he started chuckling quietly.

Oh, to hell with it, this was too _funny_. He started laughing till he was nearly folded over. At least until the silence from the clearing caught his attention. He looked up slightly to see everyone looking at him strangely.

' _Oops_ ' He didn't want everyone thinking he was crazy now.

With a small chuckle he straightened up, wiping away a tear of amusement from his eye.

Then, with a confident step, he started towards the giant stone monster at the center of the clearing.

* * *

Robin reeled in shock from Raven's miraculous return, not to mention the laughing stranger that had appeared with her. There was something different about this person.

The masked vigilante instantly picked up on the teen's Japanese features, but the rest of his outfit didn't seem to match. He was wearing a yellow muscle shirt, which was pretty roughed up. It seemed to match the oddly patterned headband the boy wore, though. On his back was a large backpack, with a delicate looking ornamental bamboo umbrella lying across the top.

The two things that really caught the detective's attention were much closer to the ground. On the stranger's feet were a pair of light slippers, the same style that kung fu practitioners were famed for wearing. The most telling things, though, were the criss-crossing straps tied around the youth's shins. While most people would think them to be like what a ballerina wore, Robin knew better. His mentor had long ago taught him about the Shaolin Monks of China, who also tied cords around their shins in that very manner.

On closer inspection Robin noticed the other boy was also wearing black bracers around his wrists. So, without ever seeing him move or fight, and despite the discrepancy of Japanese features and Chinese clothing, Robin already knew the boy was a martial artist. A slight tingle of excitement ran down the young Titan's spine. He very rarely got a chance to fight actual martial artists. Most of the people he fought were either street fighters or just relied entirely on their superpowers to fight.

The prospect of matching himself against another person that was dedicated solely to the perfection of his skills (one that wasn't a psychopath like Slade, anyway) was interesting to say the least. He might even be able to learn a few new tricks for their next bad guy of the week.

Now he just had to figure out how to get rid of Cinderblock so he could start plotting a reason to spar with this guy.

 _'Huh, wait a sec._ '

Whoever he was, the martial artist besides Raven had stopped laughing and started moving towards the mammoth beast towering over the clearing.

Robin started forward. "Wait, Stop! You don't know what you're up against!"

In his peripheral vision, Robin saw the other Titans moving forward to intercept as well.

Then the stranger looked back in his direction… And smiled.

The smile was so full of confidence and humor that Robin was stopped in his tracks. Slightly confused, but curious now, he waved a hand and signaled the other Titans to stop. Reluctantly they obeyed his order, staring at both him and the apparently suicidal teen standing before the granite behemoth.

Then the Japanese boy said something to Cinderblock. Robin cocked an ear but couldn't quite make it out.

Whatever it was, Cinderblock didn't seem impressed. The massive monster raised a stone arm high into the air, getting ready to squash the annoyance before it.

Robin quickly pulled out his staff and prepared to throw it to distract the beast, when something completely incomprehensible happened.

The boy yelled something. Back eye ten keys? Whatever that meant.

And then, against all common sense and logic, he did the last thing that Robin expected anyone to do… _ever_.

He poked Cinderblock.

* * *

Ryouga smirked evilly as he stood before the massive beast. This thing was a heck of a lot bigger than Lime ever was. And way more imposing to boot. He chuckled quietly to himself; he'd never been less afraid of something in his entire life. He almost laughed again, despite his attempts to be serious.

Staring up into the monstrosity's eyes he couldn't resist making a little prefight banter.

"I don't suppose you've ever been to China before, have you?"

The monster glared at him, not appearing to understand him but probably still too confused to try to squash him quite yet.

Ryouga shrugged slightly. "Well I guess you've never heard of the Chinese Amazons before, either. A pity, really, because if you had, you'd understand what's about to happen to you."

Whether it understood him or not, he couldn't tell. He could tell it was tired of his chatter as it raised one of its large igneous arms to smash him.

A quick glance revealed the point he had seen earlier when he entered the clearing. This was almost unsporting really, but then this thing did try to kill Raven. And attacking women was the most dishonorable thing you could do.

The creature's movements turned to molasses as Ryouga brought all his focus onto that one point. It was a glowing beacon to his eyes, drawing his attention like a moth to a flame. With deliberate speed he drew back his right arm and extended his index finger. He then willed all his energy into his hand; he could feel it flowing down his arm like a river, funneling to a single point at the very end of his extended finger.

" _BAKUSAI TENKETSU_!"

His roar shattered the silence of the forest and his arm shot forward with unstoppable force. His finger slammed into the concrete hide of the beast and he felt it dig in slightly from the impact, small flakes of stone flying.

Then he took a step back, folded his arms…

And waited.

* * *

Beast Boy had seen many strange things in his life. In fact, he was sure that was some kind of understatement of an epic scope. He had also had the privilege of meeting some very brave people in his day as well. But he had _never_ seen a person walk up to a twelve-foot-tall granite killing machine and poke it in the stomach before.

And then the crazy freak just stood back and folded his arm like he was waiting for the bus!

This dude was _so_ awesome! Totally out of his mind, but . . . but man he'd never seen anything like it before. Even Cinderblock looked confused.

Well it did for a moment, now it looked mad and was getting ready to crush Raven's new friend into a fine paste. The giant stood to its full height; its fist so high up that Beast Boy was worried low flying planes might hit it.

And the guy was _Still. Just. Standing_ there! The smile never left the guy's face and he looked about as concerned as a cat watching a mouse.

Well, because of Robin's orders they were all too far away to help him now. That fist was gonna come down like a... well like one of those space rock things with all the cool fire and stuff. And then the guy would be paste.

Then, as he had predicted, Cinderblock began its strike. Beast Boy heard the high-pitched whistle of the air angrily resisting the bulky limb's passage. His attention was focused on the scene before him, but in his peripheral vision he could see his teammate's reactions.

Robin's eye mask was wider than he'd ever seen it before, but he didn't even have anything to throw now. Cyborg was watching with morbid fascination, kinda like _he_ was he guessed. Starfire had already covered her eyes with her hands and was looking away - that was probably a good idea, actually.

Raven - Raven looked like she was doing something. Her eyes were glowing, and that weird black stuff was around her hands, even across the clearing his keen ears could pick up her muttering her magic words.

He sure hoped whatever she was doing worked.

Really, he'd forgotten his Gallagher rain tarp at the tower. Okay, nasty imagery there.

A loud crack brought him back into focus. Beast Boy took in the scene before him and tried to figure it out. Cinderblock's fist had stopped only halfway to its target. And now the massive creature was reeling back.

 _'What the heck?_ '

Across Cinderblock's massive frame, small cracks began to form - Ouch, _that_ one wasn't so small - Cinderblock's face was split vertically by a wicked fissure.

The creature swung its arms violently, chunks of stone flying. Then it curled up, all the time the cracks spreading, connecting, and deepening.

The stranger just stood there smiling.

Then Beast Boy's world exploded into gray.

* * *

Cinderblock's massive frame convulsed and cracked, then, as if it had swallowed a dozen sticks of dynamite . . .

Cinderblock exploded!

The blast deafened all the Titans and shrapnel from the explosion pelted them all.

Robin swept his cape in front of himself; he could feel the chunks of stone bouncing off the titanium fiber and knew he'd be bruised tomorrow.

Cyborg raised his titanium arms to cover his vulnerable face. The sound of gravel hitting steel sounded off like he was standing in front of a firing squad.

Beast Boy wasn't even able to hold his footing. The shockwave from the blast picked up his small elfin form and tossed him out of the clearing.

Raven, who luckily was already concentrating on using her powers, was able to quickly pull together a shield of ebon energy to protect herself from the blast and the ensuing hailstorm.

Starfire withstood the force of the blast easily, her alien strength and toughness protecting her. However, thinking fast she brought her hands forward and generated the largest star bolt she was capable of in such a short time and held it in front of herself. The heat of her emerald energy vaporized all the debris coming her way leaving the Tamaranean Titan totally unscathed.

The same could not be said for the forest. Bamboo trees were shredded in every direction, shoots tipped over and canopy just gone. The clearing had easily doubled in size in the last fraction of a second.

And when the smoke cleared; there, standing in the center of the clearing, looking none the worse for wear, stood Ryouga Hibiki.

* * *

Ryouga idly brushed some of the rubble from his shoulder. Curiously, he noticed several small tears in his shirt. He fingered one of the tears absently.

That had easily been the more intense blast that his Bakusai Tenketsu technique had caused, startlingly intense, really. Usually his clothing wasn't affected anymore than he was. As it was, he felt what could be the beginnings of a few bumps and bruises across his body. However, his conditioning from the Bakusai Tenketsu training protected him from any real harm, as usual.

He turned to find Raven in the mess he had created, just to make sure she was alright of course. He only got about halfway when he suddenly found himself swarmed by three of the people, he had seen in the clearing earlier.

"How did you **do** that?" yelled the large one.

"You are undamaged, is that correct, Raven's new friend?" the girl with the flaming red hair asked. He could hear real concern in her voice, and it made him feel a little warm and fuzzy inside.

The slight framed boy wearing the mask approached Ryouga but addressed Raven. "So, Raven, why don't you introduce your new friend to us?"

"Yeah, Rae, you don't usually bring strange men home with you, this is a momentous event," chortled Beast Boy, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively in the dark Titan's direction. Ryouga's face blushed red in embarrassment at the comment and he started twiddling his thumbs spouting half formed denials. Unfortunately, the display only caused Starfire to giggle in amusement, embarrassing him further.

Raven responded to Beast Boys immature antics by glaring at him until, with a squeak, the changeling dived behind Cyborg's titanium frame. She then turned to face her more serious teammates. "This is Hibiki Ryouga, he saved me after Cinderblock sent me flying over the jungle," she stated with absolutely zero aplomb.

Ryouga puffed up a bit at the light praise and happy looks he was receiving from her four friends. He wasn't usually the center of attention… well not in a good way, anyway.

The small green boy snickered. "Dude, that must have been some catch, are you, like, some kinda super outfielder or something?" he asked jokingly.

Cyborg laughed a bit at the joke while Ryouga just looked confused.

Raven continued like Beast Boy hadn't spoken. "Of course, right after saving me he attempted to kill me." She wore a sly smirk on her features now.

Ryouga cringed as he suddenly felt the scowls of four angry teens. Yeah, that seemed more like normal now. "Um heh, heh, heh, about that…" He desperately tried to find an explanation that would get him out of this unscathed. Unfortunately, he was drawing a blank, he really couldn't work under pressure at all!

Fortunately, Raven came to his rescue. "Don't worry, though, it was all a misunderstanding and we resolved it without any incidents. After that we made our way here and you know the rest."

Cyborg, sounding a bit confused, had to ask, "Wait a sec, man, you mean you-" He pointed at Ryouga. " _save_ her, and then you _attack_ her? What's up with that, did you change your mind or something?"

Ryouga was a little confused at some of the pretty obvious gaps in Raven's story, but if she didn't want to mention the part about the Shi Shi Houkodan he wouldn't either.

"Well, I guess she startled me a bit. I mean I was pretty distracted by having to get over the trees to catch her and then landing safely, so I didn't notice her aura until she was already waking up," Ryouga replied to Cyborg's question.

Starfire nodded knowingly, even as all the males present looked more confused

"You sensed that Raven's Chakra is much more predominating than is common amongst members of your species. I have only started my own research with Raven, but I have noticed the large differences between the auras of each of my friends. It is most glorious to be able to sense such things," exclaimed the Tamaranean.

Silently Ryouga mouthed the words, 'member of your species', to himself for a moment before filing it away for later. Then he raised a hand to the back of his head unconsciously.

"I don't know that much about Chakras or anything. I just sensed her chi… um, Raven has _different_ chi then I normally sense from people, even other strong martial artists. It just shocked me for a moment, and I acted on instinct," explained the Lost Boy.

Ryouga wasn't sure whether Raven's friends knew about her demonic heritage or not, but they seemed to like her, and he trusted Raven, so he saw no need to make a fuss over it.

Beast Boy nodded in sympathy. "Yeah, I know what you mean. My instinct is always to run whenever I see Raven."

He proved his point by ducking back behind the laughing Cyborg to avoid another of Raven's glares. Starfire rolled her eyes at her young friend's antics, as if anyone would run from such a dear friend as Raven.

Robin extended a hand to Ryouga. "Well, for saving Raven and for helping us out here, you have our thanks, Ryouga. If you're ever in Jump city, look us up, we live in the Giant T." The Titan's young leader wore an amused smirk.

"Yeah, you were _great_ back there. Um, whatever it was you did back there, anyway," added Cyborg.

"Yeah, Dudes, we've finally beat Cinderblock so we can head home and get some grub. How _sweet it is_!" exclaimed the happy green elf.

Starfire looked slightly confused. "But, Beast Boy, our reason for traveling to this continental mass was to do the following of the H.I.V.E. vessel. Would it not make sense that the H.I.V.E. operatives would have more nefarious purposes in mind than simply laying an ambush for us?"

Beast Boy's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Starfire is right, now that we've taken care of the distraction, we need to find out what they could possibly be after in such a remote area of China," stated Robin.

The connection of the words 'Remote' and 'China' sparked a sense of dread in the lost boy's mind. Knowing just how abysmal his own luck was, there was only one place he could imagine they could be thinking about.

"Um, you said we're in China, right? Do you happen to know where in China we are?" asked the martial artist hesitantly.

Robin answered the seemingly random question. "We're in the Qinghai province, near the Bayanlanka mountains, I think."

"The Byankala Mountain Range?" Ryouga cut him off insistently.

"Yes, that is the name inscribed upon the navigational charts," supplied the orange haired female helpfully.

Instantly, Ryouga's darkest fears were confirmed. He knew exactly why the Titan's quarry was in China. A single word escaped his lips-

"Jusenkyo."

Cyborg smiled brightly. "You know where they're goin? That's great, you can give us directions!"

…Ryouga felt himself die a little inside.


	2. The Fickleness Of Fate

Let me interject with the rather clichéd disclaimer here. I don't own Ranma 1/2, or the Teen Titans. Don't worry about annoying original characters, either. If I can't write a story merging two such diverse and rich universes without injecting my own inane characters to fill specific roles, then I might as well give up before I even begin.

Now, Enjoy if you Will, Tolerate if you won't.

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It was times like this, that Raven was annoyed with her empathic abilities. Normally she only sensed powerful emotions from people in extreme situations. For the most part, it was something which she tuned out unless she thought it might help her teammates.

Ryouga's emotions, however, buffeted her like a strong wind. And that was from his normal emotional state. His more powerful feelings threatened to bowl her over at times. She supposed it had to do with his unusual chi technique. After focusing and expelling his negative chi for so long it seemed like he was unconsciously projecting his emotions all the time now.

Case in point. Right after Cyborg asked for directions Raven was assaulted by an array of powerful sensations from the wandering martial artist. Embarrassment, shame, he also seemed slightly angry as well, but she felt it wasn't directed at any of them. Was he angry with himself for some reason?

Really, Ryouga was easier to read than Starfire, and _she_ tended to say whatever was on her mind at the time. Idly, she wondered if she had finally found someone who was a worse liar than Beast Boy.

Now he was rustling the hair at the back of his head again. It was an obvious nervous tick, but it did make him look kind of cute – she quickly broke off that line of thought. All these powerful emotions were throwing her off. She would need to meditate long and hard when they finally returned home to regain her center.

"Heh, heh, well you see. . . I think I got a little turned around with all the running and catching and fighting, um, so I'm not exactly sure which way it is now," replied the extremely nervous Ryouga.

She could clearly tell that something was bothering the youth. Judging by the fact that she found him wandering in the middle of nowhere and combined with his reaction to Cyborg's question, it was obvious that he was lost and just didn't want to admit it.

Typical male.

Still considering how much he was stuttering it hardly took an empath to see he was lying. Only a complete moron could fall for that story.

"It's okay, Dude, that blast was intense, man. I _still_ don't know what's going on," offered Beast Boy helpfully.

Well, she _had_ pretty much asked for that. She rolled her eyes. Starfire and Robin were doing the same; Starfire hiding a giggle while Robin was suppressing a groan.

Still there was no need to reveal Ryouga's deception; it would only embarrass him further. Now, how to change the subject?

"Don't worry, Ryouga. Starfire and Raven can fly up and survey the area. If you can just tell us what this Jusenkyo is, then they will know what to look for," explained Robin.

Robin amazed her from time to time. Without any of her gifts, he had already deduced the lost boy's plight and was already one step ahead of her in resolving the problem. The relief that she felt from Ryouga was almost palpable. However, mere moments later, the relief melted into a strange foreboding feeling.

Ryouga began slowly, speaking in an ominous tone, " _Jusenkyo_ , known as the 'Cursed Training Grounds' –"

"Training grounds? What kind of training goes on there?" The masked Titan interrupted the story.

Starfire and Beast Boy loudly shushed the inquisitive teen. Raven decided to take Cyborg's approach and simply glare at him until he submitted.

Sheepishly, Robin shrugged and motioned for Ryouga to continue.

Ryouga spent a moment, apparently trying to get back in the mood she guessed. He did seem a bit over dramatic to her.

"Jusenkyo, the cursed training grounds, are also known as the _Springs of Sorrow_. No one that ventures to that evil place ever leaves unchanged." He paused for dramatic effect.

Starfire especially seemed to be enthralled by his story. Or maybe it was just his voice; it did have a deep sonorous quality to it.

"This cursed training ground lies within a mist shrouded valley buried deeply within the Byankala Mountain Range. Dotting the entire floor of this valley lie hundreds of small springs, bamboo growing from many of them." Again, he was interrupted. This time by the raised hand of her Tamaranean friend.

At least she was polite about it. Ryouga, obviously enjoying playing the storyteller, nodded for her to ask her question.

"Why is this valley littered with small tension filled coils of metal? Are these springs naturally occurring in this climate of your planet? And why are they so filled with sorrow?"

Ryouga stared at her in utter incomprehension. Raven could see Starfire begin to blush, realizing that what she said must have been wrong somehow.

Thankfully, Cyborg came to the rescue. "Naw, Star, it's cool. In this case a spring refers to a small body of water, like a little pond or something." He looked to Ryouga for confirmation and got a nod in reply.

"Ah, I see now. I am still coming to terms with your language's propensity for using a singular word for multiple definitions." Starfire smiled in a slightly embarrassed manner. "But that does not explain why these springs are so sorrowful."

Ryouga smiled kindly at the red-haired beauty. "Don't worry, I'm almost to that part, so it will be explained soon." He then settled back into his story telling position.

"Now the reason it is known as a training ground is because of the bamboo shoots I mentioned earlier. Martial artists would often travel to Jusenkyo to train by battling upon these bamboo stalks which rose out of the pools. Many felt this was a good way to train balance and control and those that couldn't keep up would fall into the springs below and get a good soaking."

Robins eyes widened in excitement. He was likely imagining a battle running atop a valley nettled with bamboo.

"This is the true terror of the Springs of Sorrow. You see, each of these springs contain a powerful and unique curse. Any person unfortunate to fall into one of them receives the tragic curse of that pool. Many people's lives have been destroyed forever by this accursed place." Ryouga's voice was low as he solemnly stated this last fact.

Beast Boy's face was lit up with excitement; this probably reminded him of his cheesy old movies. Cyborg, on the other hand, looked as skeptical as one could get. She would have shared his view; except the feelings she was sensing from Ryouga were so intense. As crazy as it sounded, Ryouga believed his own story with every fiber of his being. And apparently the story wasn't over as the Japanese martial artist continued.

"Legend has it that over centuries past, many creatures and people met their untimely ends drowning in the springs, the power of Jusenkyo pulling them to their dooms," he orated ominously.

Starfire gasped in shock. Raven thought the story was just getting interesting. Between the grim legend and the emotional content that Ryouga put into it, this was easily turning into one of the more enjoyable stories that she had heard.

"Now who so ever falls into one of the springs takes on the form of whatever poor creature drowned in that pool."

Hmm, now that was interesting. While cursing people with different forms wasn't that uncommon in the sorcerous world, she'd never heard of a curse being passed on by a pool of water before. Still she could see why he thought it was so terrible now. It was like some kind of curse lottery, hundreds of different springs, each with its own curse. There was no telling what a person could be cursed to turn into.

Cyborg remained skeptical, however. "So, these ' _cursed springs' -_ " He curled his fingers to mimic the quotations. "- Magically transform a person into anything that drowned in that pool forever?"

Ryouga shifted nervously for a moment. "Not. . . exactly, the curse is reversible. If you douse the cursed victim with hot water, they revert to their true form. However anytime that person is splashed with cold water after that, they are changed back into their cursed forms. As far as I know there is no permanent cure to a Jusenkyo curse." The young man sounded especially sad about his last revelation.

Beast Boy looked incredulous. "What? That's _weak,_ man! A curse that you can turn off and on with a quick shower?" Come to think of it, it did sound slightly bizarre, a curse controlled by the temperature of water? Who designed this curse? "That's not a curse, that's like, an annoyance at best, man, pfft!"

Raven was shocked by the waves of anger she felt pouring out from Ryouga. His face twisted into a mask of rage as he suddenly unleashed on the unsuspecting shape shifter.

" _This curse is not an **annoyance**_! It's the most terrible thing that could ever happen to _anyone_! Do you have _any_ idea of the _hell_ I've –" His jaw clicked shut audibly as he realized what he was saying.

Well, that explained his apparently intimate knowledge of the cursed springs.

"Whoa, Dawg, calm down. Beast Boy didn't mean nothing by it." Cyborg smoothly interposed himself between the lost boy and the now cowering Beast Boy. Starfire looked somewhat worried, though Raven wasn't quite sure about what.

Robin simply watched with narrowed eye mask. She was certain that he had picked up on Ryouga's slip, so she doubted that he was angry about the wanderer's outburst. Raven knew a thing or two about being cursed herself, so she knew what a touchy subject it could be to have someone trivialize your pain.

Ryouga appeared to be trying to retrace his words and find a way to get away from the topic of the curse he almost certainly possessed.

"I – I'm sorry Beast Boy, I didn't mean to yell, it's just that… that I've heard of some of the people this has happened to, and how much they've suffered because of it," Ryouga mumbled in apology. His head hung low in shame and his dark hair covered his eyes completely.

As far as cover-ups went, it was lame, but at the same time, it was somewhat refreshing to meet someone for whom deception was so difficult. After dealing with super villains like Slade for so long, one began to question everything and everyone around them for fear of being deceived.

Beast Boy seemed to recover from his fear rather quickly. "Naw, I'm sorry, Ryouga, I don't really think before I talk, sometimes," he offered with a goofy smile.

"Don't you mean _all the time_?" Raven chuckled to herself quietly. She simply couldn't resist such an easy set up... maybe she would feel bad for it later.

Probably not, though.

Beast Boy razzed her, but then laughed it off. Thankfully, Ryouga picked up on his good mood and started to relax as well.

Seeing that things were calming down, Robin decided to get things underway. "Okay, Starfire, Raven, now that we know what we're looking for, you two fly recon in the direction of the mountains. Report in with your communicators every fifteen minutes regardless of whether you find something or not."

He then turned to Beast Boy. "Beast Boy, I need you to find Cinderblocks scent. Whoever came here brought him with them to distract us. If we can follow his trail back to their ship, then we have a starting point to start tracking the real criminals here."

Cyborg and Ryouga nodded. It was a sound plan; there was no telling if they'd be able to spot a 'mist shrouded valley' from the air, so having a back up plan made sense.

"Robin, I'm practically _bathing_ in Cinderblocks stink. This'll be easier than following the trail that Starfire's last attempt at cooking left when we had to chase it though the tower!" joked the green teen.

Starfire hmphed in annoyance at Beast Boy then took to the air. Raven took one last glance at the enigmatic young man that had joined them this strange day, then took to the air after her friend.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy morphed back to his elfin self. Really, in retrospect it seemed a little silly thinking they'd need his fine bloodhound sense of smell to follow Cinderblock's trail. The guy was literally a walking disaster area; almost as soon as they left the clearing the path of destruction the creature had created became obvious.

He moved to walk besides his best bud, Cyborg. Ahead of them were Robin and Ryouga, chatting up a storm. Almost immediately after the girls had taken off, their fearless leader had latched onto the newbie and started drilling him about crazy kung fu techniques.

Which was totally bogus, cuz Beast Boy totally wanted to hear some of the guy's crazy kung fu action stories. He figured that Ryouga probably had tons of cool duels and epic battles fighting super martial arts bad guys. But _nooo_ , Robin had to know all about his 'fighting style' and lame stuff like that.

And he was quite sure that the last time Raven reported in, he heard Starfire giggling in the background. Obviously, they were doing the whole girl talk thing and obviously having more fun than he was at the moment. He was almost tempted to go fly after them, but Robin said they might need his nose. That and it wasn't like he could talk to them when he was flying anyway.

"So, Cy. What do ya think Starfire and Raven are talking about? Star sounded pretty giddy when they reported in," asked the bored changeling.

Cyborg looked at him incredulously with his human eye.

"BB, do you not know _anything_ about girls?"

Beast Boy simply shrugged.

Cyborg let out a sigh. "It's obvious they're talking about the kung fu kid up there."

"Robin?"

"No, you dope, the _new_ kung fu kid. Girls are like, hardwired or something to talk about guys. Remember how they were after they met Aqualad?" asked Cyborg.

Beast Boy shuddered. "Yeah, they were goin on about him for like a _week_ after he left. You'd think they'd never seen a guy before, _sheesh_!"

"Yeah, but I bet this is the first time that Raven's ever been saved by a knight in shining armor. I bet you they're goin' on about how brave he is and how handsome." Cyborg clasped his hands together and held them up to his cheek in a mockingly feminine gesture.

Beast Boy laughed out loud at that. He quickly held up his hand and started kissing it. "Heh, yeah, Raven's probly all, ' _Oh, Ryouga, what a man'_ -mua mua mua-." He finished making lame kissing noises.

Both teens started chuckling at that image. A gleam filled Cyborg's eyes. "You _do_ , of course, realize what this means, don't you, BB?"

"What would that be, Dude?"

"We have to do everything in our power to find humiliating stuff about Raven and show it to Ryouga up there. It is our duty as Titans... no, _as men_ , to embarrass our friend as much as possible in front of her new boyfriend," whispered the metallic titan to his elfin companion.

"Dude, we are so on the same page here! No matter how terrible her revenge may be, it'll totally be worth it," he replied conspiratorially.

The two then begin to snicker malevolently.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin couldn't remember the last time he had been this excited. Ryouga was a virtual walking encyclopedia of martial arts. Even more amazing, according to Ryouga, there was a _host_ of martial artists he knew, some that were so skilled that they made even Ryouga seem like an amateur.

Some of the things he had told Robin had sounded like pure fantasy, not even Beast Boy's kung fu movies had things that farfetched. But then, he had already proved some of it to be true. The 'Bakusai Tenketsu' he had called it, or the Blasting Point Technique if what little Robin knew of Japanese was at all correct.

Such a powerful technique, to be able to destroy inanimate objects with a simple touch. And Ryouga had said it wasn't even the most powerful technique which he personally knew. Heck, even the martial artist's training regimen sounded too intense to be true.

Robin was well known, almost infamous really, for pushing himself in training. He had a burning need to be the best and hated losing more than most might consider healthy. His friends often said he was being anal training so much.

But if what Ryouga said was true, Robin's most intense sessions would only be a light warm up for him. True, Ryouga did have the advantage, he literally lived for the art, all he did was travel and train. Robin had many responsibilities, and other skills that he needed to hone as well. But still he found himself a little envious of the other boy's talents.

Of course, he hadn't actually seen Ryouga fight, yet just blow up Cinderblock. Thus, he wasn't one hundred percent sure how good he was. Which was probably why he was so eager to spar with him, if only once before they headed back to Jump City. The Japanese youth seemed to radiate a sense of inner power, like he was supremely confident in his fighting abilities.

It was everything else he seemed to be nervous about. Really, this guy was so easy to read Robin was starting to wonder if he was raised by wolves or something. Ryouga obviously had several secrets that he was struggling to keep.

Robin knew a thing or two about keeping secrets. In fact, most of his life was wrapped in secrecy, even from his closest friends. Probably an unfortunate side effect of hanging around certain Gothamites for too long. Still he got the feeling that none of Ryouga's secrets concerned them, so he didn't feel the need to pry.

"Then I stood up from under the rubble and said, ' _That felt like a babies kick_!' Heh, you should have _seen_ his face after that." Ryouga was telling him about a battle with an old enemy of his. That was a surprisingly good line, too.

Yes, Robin was not going to leave China without fighting Ryouga at least once.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire was basking in the feeling of the sun upon her skin. Truly she did enjoy it when Robin sent her on these reconnaissance missions. And the scenery was simply beautiful to behold. Soaring mountains, flowing rivers, and emerald forests, it was all so breathtaking. She flew higher, relishing the feeling of the wind as it brushed through her fiery locks.

And best of all, she was able to share this wonderful moment with her precious friend, Raven. They so rarely had the opportunity to do such things together. Her smile widened further. Even more superb was the fact that she would be able to initiate the girl talk with Raven about the unusual boy that had followed her to the clearing.

Starfire giggled in giddy joy. To only meet a boy for a few moments and already having him follow her into dangerous situations. Raven was obviously more appealing than she considered herself to be. Of course, Starfire had always told her she was beautiful, but now she might start to get the point. Starfire would not stand for any of her friends to have such baseless self-esteem problems.

She opened her mouth to ask her question –

"No, Starfire, I am not interested in Ryouga in anyway... whatsoever," came a dry statement from her violet eyed companion.

Starfire looked at Raven in shock.

"But, Raven, I did not make any inquiries as to your opinions concerning Ryouga."

Raven looked back at her blandly.

"No, but you were obviously thinking about it."

Starfire blushed hotly and twiddled her fingers. How did Raven always know these things? Well, she certainly was not going to let such a rare opportunity slip between her fingers. There was obviously more going on here than her friend was letting on.

"But Raven, did he not save your life? Not only that, but he also followed you into battle afterwards. Did those actions not alter your opinion of him, even slightly?" she asked her friend earnestly.

Raven seemed to weigh her arguments in her mind carefully. "He did save me, but then he did call me a demon," she glowered.

Starfire giggled at that. "Perhaps, but you do not seem truly angered by that."

Raven smirked weakly. "I suppose not… there _is_ something else that happened between us... something I didn't mention around the others, but perhaps you might understand it better."

Starfire felt her eyes widen to the size of saucers. Something had occurred between Raven and Ryouga! Something she did not feel comfortable telling the others? Hmm, her friend did not seem injured and her clothing were not in any sort of disarray, so it could not have been anything violent.

A slow, sneaky smile grew across her orange lips.

"Really, friend Raven, I would not have considered it possible for you to be so forward with someone whom you had only recently made acquaintances." She loaded the sentence with as much innuendo as was possible. Which for her was not a lot, but it still had the desired effect.

Raven's face went beet red and she nearly fell from the sky, choking out half formed protests. She decided to take pity on her friend and flew over to steady Raven while she regained her composure.

She was ready for the intense glare that Raven aimed her way. She responded with the most innocent look she could muster.

"I would expect something like that from Beast Boy, not from you, Starfire."

"Truly I am sorry; I could not oppose the temptation. But I must say that I am confused. If not that, then what else could have transpired between the two of you?" she asked with genuine concern.

Beast Boy was right; Raven could be _very_ fun to tease from time to time.

Raven glared at her for another moment before moving on. "I told the others that there was a small misunderstanding between Ryouga and I, but that nothing came from it. That wasn't entirely true."

Starfire gasped; this was _most_ interesting gossip.

"Something unusual did happen. For a short time after I awoke, I was somewhat confused and unsure as to what was happening. Ryouga, however, was quickly putting the situation together in his head. Unfortunately for me, he got the picture completely wrong." Raven smiled wryly.

"He sensed my spiritual energy and immediately thought I was a demon, not a difficult mistake to make I suppose. But while I was still unfocused, he prepared to attack me using an unusual energy attack."

Hmm, so the human martial artist was also capable of discharging energy? How _exotic_.

"Ironically enough it was his build-up to the attack which hurt me, he never used the actual attack itself," Raven stated calmly.

"What? The Ryouga person hurt you?" Starfire could feel the emerald energy build up within her as her righteous fury began to boil over. Her hands and eyes were already blazing with the roiling plasma. "We must go punish him for what he did!"

She felt a calming hand on her arm. She turned to see Raven, a small smile on her lips.

"No, Starfire, he didn't actually hurt me. I just wasn't prepared for what happened. You see, Ryouga told me that to perform his energy attack he needs to focus on certain emotions to make it work," she explained.

That was interesting, so his powers were based upon emotions as well. Perhaps he was a Tamaranean long lost?

"Really? Then his powers are like my own? How fascinating!" she said excitedly.

Raven shook her head in a small arc. "Not exactly. You said you used 'righteous fury' to create your Star Bolts, correct?"

Starfire nodded.

"Well, Ryouga is almost entirely the opposite; he focuses on depression and a host of other negative emotions to fuel his abilities. He says he does it to generate 'Heavy Chi'," Raven stated gravely.

This caused the Tamaranean to gasp loudly in shock.

"But that is terrible! No one should dwell on such harmful feelings; it is unhealthy! I am saddened to know that he is suffering so." She knew the intensity of the emotions she felt when she used the abilities of her Tamaranean heritage. True, her feelings were naturally more intense than a human's, but if the depression Ryouga felt was nearly as powerful as the feelings she felt when she flew, or used her Star Bolts...

She nearly felt like crying just thinking about it.

"You have no idea, Starfire. When he was gathering his attack, I felt it... all of it. All the emotions he was focusing on were projected outwards. I-I had never felt so much before. You know why I have to control my emotions right?" Raven asked.

She nodded; she still keenly remembered her crash course in the use of Raven's power that the Puppet king had given her.

"I've always controlled my emotions, broken them down and kept them manageable. But for a few moments I was lost in the black hole of Ryouga's angst. I nearly lost my control entirely. If - if Ryouga hadn't helped me, then and there, I don't know what would have happened," admitted the dark teen shakily.

Starfire felt concern for her friend well up within her.

"But I thought you stated that he was attacking you, why would he then be helping you? This is somewhat confusing."

"I don't know myself; I'm not even sure what happened, really. All I remember is being lost in emotions, some I didn't even understand. Then the next thing I knew, I felt his hand on my shoulder. It allowed me to center myself and expel the foreign emotions. Then I saw him just kneeling there, just staring at me, his eyes filled with concern. I still don't really understand what happened.".

The Tamaranean felt honored that her friend would confide such a personal event to her. But she was still confused herself. However, the mental picture that was starting to assemble in her mind brought a smile to her face.

"I believe that Ryouga has a benevolent nature. True, he thought you were a being of a malevolent nature and prepared to attack you, but despite that, when he saw you in peril he still came to your aid. Only a truly noble person would help one that he perceived to be his enemy," she told her friend.

"Or extremely foolish," Raven replied. "Still, I suppose we can give him the benefit of the doubt, for now at least."

Starfire giggled happily.

"That is good. Now we can speak of matters of grave importance," she stated with no small amount of excitement.

Raven raised an eyebrow questioningly. "And those matters would be?"

"Which adolescent male possesses the firmest Gluteus Maximus, Ryouga or Aqualad!" she squealed girlishly.

Raven's face burned so red she looked like she might combust.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga was doing his absolute best to cover up his shock. He knew he had seen some very strange things himself; some of it was a lot stranger than this group certainly. But when Beast Boy had suddenly transformed into a green dog right before his eyes, and then _back_ … _without water_!

Well even a member of the Nerima Wrecking Crew had limits of belief.

Even more impressive, over the past several hours the pointy-eared Titan had changed into a wide variety of animals, some even _he_ had never seen before on his travels. Most of the times he hadn't even changed for any real reason, it just seemed to be something he did at a whim.

And the large African American, Cyborg. It turned out that he wasn't covered in metal, he practically _was_ metal! Apparently, he had been gravely injured when he was younger and much of his body had to be replaced with machinery.

Ryouga wasn't sure how he felt about that, really. And the fact that he wasn't sure about that made him feel even worse. Cyborg seemed like a great guy, he was funny and – well - he was lively.

On second thought, Ryouga knew exactly how he felt.

When Ranma had lost his strength to Happosai, he had fallen apart. He'd moped and cried and gone on about how hopeless he was. It was really kind of depressing; Ryouga was only glad that Cologne offered to teach him that technique to win the duel.

Ranma might have his faults, but even Ryouga would admit that if the boy saw even the slightest chance of victory he would never give up.

But Cyborg hadn't just lost his strength. He had lost most of his body, and yet he was more vital and positive than most people Ryouga knew, himself included. And he supposed it was somewhat reassuring to know that medicine had advanced far enough that it could help him if he accidentally blew himself up learning some new and dangerous technique.

Still he mostly stayed close to the apparent leader of the group. Robin seemed to be a good person, too. A little uptight and he wore funny clothing, but then compared to some martial artists Ryouga had met, it didn't really seem that strange.

And he was a martial artist as well. That meant they had something in common and it gave them something to talk about as they followed the trail through the forest. Though he wasn't sure what they needed a dog's nose for. Ryouga wouldn't call himself a master tracker, but he was quite sure most people would have been able to follow the long trail of large square tracks sunk at least an inch into the forest floor.

Well after they had found the H.I.V.E. ship, it suddenly hadn't seemed like a bad idea. Why bees would have a giant stone monster was beyond him, though. Anyway, after they had found the ship, they had started following three other sets of tracks. These ones were harder to follow.

It seemed they were following an exceptionally large man, who left deep tracks. A girl, her tracks were light and extremely hard to follow, even for him. The last set of tracks was the strangest, it looked like the large man and the girl had brought a monstrous spider with them. It left ridiculously small tracks, but they punched deep holes into the soil.

Robin said their names were Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo.

Americans had strange names.

The trek hadn't been particularly exciting. The two girls, Raven and Starfire, reported in every so often, looking for Jusenkyo from the air. He certainly hoped they didn't fly over the springs, he didn't trust Jusenkyo any farther than he could throw the entire mountain range.

As it was, he found himself listening to one of Beast Boy's rather strange jokes when Robin's communicator beeped.

"Robin, we've spotted a valley that matches Ryouga's description. But more importantly we've also seen Jinx and her cohorts. We're sure that we're high enough that they haven't spotted us. From your location on our communicators I'd say that you're only a few minutes from the edge of the forest and then you'll be in sight of the valley," Raven's voice sounded through the small yellow device.

"Good job, you two. Circle back to our position but make sure you're not spotted, we might be able to use the element of surprise on our side for once," responded Robin. He put the device back in his belt.

"Okay guys, we're almost there. Let's head up to the edge of the forest and rendezvous with the girls. We'll make a strategy after we've seen the lay of the land."

Ryouga nodded along with Cyborg and Beast Boy.

They picked up the pace and soon were jogging lightly to the edge of the forest. After only a few minutes they saw the trees begin to become sparser. They were getting close to the edge of the forest.

Silently Raven and Starfire descended from the heavens and waited for them to catch up. Ryouga was relieved to see that nothing bad had happened to them flying around Jusenkyo like that. He told himself that was the only reason he was glad to see them back, anyway.

Ryouga stopped short as the five teens met up and started talking quickly. Probably making strategies or something like that. Strategy was never really Ryouga's strong point; he was more of a hands-on kind of berserker, letting his fists do the thinking most of the time.

In retrospect, it wasn't really one of his better habits.

He quietly circled around the self titled Titans and looked past the edge of the trees. A vast valley stretched out before him. It was filled with pools of water, bamboo shoots growing from them, some at strange angles.

Yup, that was Jusenkyo all right.

Farther down in the valley he could barely make out the three figures in the mist. One stood out easily, a large man, even taller than Cyborg. He stood besides a slim figure; he couldn't make out any other details, but it seemed likely that was the girl. And then there was the giant spider. It seemed to have four large legs and grotesque lump of a body at the center, maybe some kind of demon spider.

But who names their pet demon spider 'Gizmo'? Really, it went against all the demon naming traditions that he knew.

He couldn't tell what they were doing, but the trio were near the center of the valley, surrounded by cursed springs for hundreds of meters in every direction. Did those poor fools even know the terrible danger they were in?

He let out a large sigh.

He couldn't let his new friends go down there. If they started fighting in the very heart of Jusenkyo it would be a foregone conclusion that everyone would get cursed. As much as Beast Boy scoffed at the nature of the curses, Ryouga wouldn't wish a Jusenkyo curse on anyone.

On the other hand, the people down in the valley now were likely planning on using the Jusenkyo water for some nefarious purpose. He certainly couldn't think of any possible positive use for the cursed waters. He couldn't just let them do whatever it was they were going to do and go on their way.

Well if they were patient, they could just wait here until the group was done; they did have to come back this way to get back to their ship after all. But then they'd likely have bottles of water with them and if a fight broke out then his friends would still likely be cursed.

Really there was only one thing he could do.

But why did the right thing always seem like the dumbest thing to do sometimes?

Deciding that explaining his decision to the five teens behind him would waste precious time, that and they would probably tear his arguments apart like tissue paper given the chance, he opted for the direct route.

"You five stay here, under no circumstances come down into the valley or you'll get cursed," he ordered the Titans.

Having said his piece, Ryouga began walking down the valley and into the heart of Jusenkyo.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx glared at the two morons with her. Why wouldn't they shut up and take this seriously? She was so nervous she was bordering on open panic and they were joking around like this was just a normal mission.

Didn't they feel the chaotic energies flowing all around them? She had never felt so much magical power in one place in all her life. Her limited training in magic couldn't even tell her what was going on, just that they were in the middle of a veritable nexus of indescribable energies.

She hadn't thought much of it when the Headmaster had first sent them out here. He only told them that he had heard interesting rumors about a group of springs in China, and then he'd sent them out to collect samples with only a vague warning not to go swimming.

' _Swimming_? Hah!' If Mammoth so much as even _joked_ about splashing her, she was going to hex his spleen out his ears. It was all she could do not to visibly tremble while she did her absolute best to stay as far away from every single pool as was humanly possible.

She didn't know why the Headmaster had sent them out into the heart of China's wilderness to bring him some spring water, but any curiosity she had felt on the trip here had died as soon as she had stepped foot into the valley.

Now she avidly did _not_ want to know what this water did. Still, they were almost done. Gizmo was using some gadget he'd whipped up to suck up water from a bunch of different pools into little plastic jugs in his back pack and Mammoth had a few metal containers filled with the water strapped onto a bandoleer crossing his chest.

As long as they didn't ask her to carry any of the water, she'd be fine. She just wanted to be out of here. Her depressingly bad luck combined with the chaotic forces around her gave her an ominous feeling that something bad was already happening, not just going to happen.

"Are you two losers done yet? Sheesh I don't know why I even work with you guys," she spat out impatiently.

"Listen, Crud Muncher, the Headmaster said not to get this stuff on us, so if you want us to collect the stinking water just shut up and let us work," sneered Gizmo.

Mammoth let out a loud chortle of amusement and grabbed another cylinder from Gizmo.

Jinx felt her face heat up in anger and she let her eyes glow a molten pink to display her ire.

Gizmo obviously got the message because he quickly shut up and started moving to a much more distant pool.

Good thing, too, cuz there was no way she was willing to back up that threat here. She hardly wanted to _breathe_ , let alone fight her idiotic partners over proper super villain decorum.

"I only got room for three more, Giz; I think we can get outta here soon. This place gives me the creeps." Mammoth's voice boomed across the valley.

It seemed she wasn't the only one to feel antsy about this place after all.

_Finally_ , they were nearly done. She was quite sure that if she stayed in this valley much longer, she'd scream-

"Excuse me, miss."

" _AHHHHH_!" She nearly jumped out of her skin as a strange voice came from behind her. Literally she had only jumped a foot in the air and spun around to face behind her.

"But would you happen to know the way to the Tendo Dojo?" A boy, probably around her age, asked the question. He appeared to be Asian and was holding a weird looking map in front of him. She couldn't be certain, but she was sure the map said Tokyo on the top.

"Sheesh, kid! You nearly scared me to death there!" she yelled in frustration. The boy looked a bit sheepish and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sorry about that, miss. You see, I'm a bit lost, and I'm looking for Nerima, do you know which way that is?" he asked again, quite politely.

By now, Mammoth and Gizmo were coming up behind her, likely coming to see why she had screamed, well, like a girl.

"I have no idea where Nerima is, buddy, now get lost, we're busy here," she fumed at the lost boy.

She could hear her partners snickering behind her back. She desperately wanted to blast them both but decided to get rid of this strange boy first.

"Oh, I'll only be a minute. Hey, do you at least know where Tokyo is? Nerima is in Tokyo, at least I'm fairly sure it is," asked the annoying guy.

Wait a sec.

"You snot blasting _idiot_! You're not even on the right _land mass_ for Tokyo!" yelled Gizmo in disbelief.

"Don't you have _any_ idea where you are?" she added. How could anyone get that lost?

The clueless look on the boy’s face turned into a sinister smirk. "Well unless I miss my guess, I'd say I'm at Jusenkyo, home of the cursed springs."

' _Crap_!' Whoever this kid was, he knew where they were. He knew that the springs were cursed, too. That would explain the crazy amounts of magic she was feeling from them. Damnit, what kind of curse, though?

"Who the heck are you, buddy? And what do you want with us, you aren't looking for any dojo!" she asked accusingly.

The stranger shrugged off his backpack and pulled off the red bamboo umbrella from its top. The pack made a strangely heavy thud when in hit the ground.

"My name is Hibiki Ryouga, and Jusenkyo is tragic enough without villains like you using it for evil. I won't allow you to leave this valley with that accursed water," he stated rather calmly considering he was facing three super villains.

Mammoth slapped an oversized hand over his face. "What's up with that? We can't even pull something in the middle of a _freakin’ jungle_ without stumbling over one of these super creeps!" he moaned.

Jinx couldn't help but agree. "Do you superhero wannabe's seriously have so little to do with your time that you chase us out into the middle of nowhere?" She looked him over again. "And I gotta say, the costume is pretty lack luster, yellow is so gaudy."

Ryouga looked down at his shirt defensively and glared at her. "I don't know what you mean about this superhero stuff, but my shirt is comfortable and functional!" he growled.

She wasn't sure what part of that statement to argue about. Sure, his clothing was obviously dated, and any girl would be justified in teasing him about it. But then he didn't seem to know what a superhero was, and he wasn't really dressed for the part either.

Jinx motioned for Mammoth and Gizmo to hold back for a moment. "What do you mean you're not a superhero?" she inquired.

"What does 'superhero' even mean? I mean, I know what a _hero_ is, but what's a 'superhero' and why are you so obsessed about it?" asked the Asian teen.

Gizmo butted in impatiently. "It's one of you losers with superpowers that run around fighting criminals all the time and being general all-around goody two shoes that _ruin our fun_!" he yelled at the strange interloper.

Ryouga seemed confused at this statement. "Superpowers? Fighting criminals all the time? That's not really what I do; I'm just a wandering martial artist. As for being a good guy, I've spent the last few years of my life hunting and trying to kill the one person who was the closest thing to a friend I've ever had." His voice filled with pain at the last revelation.

Curious, she asked, "Well, then why are you here then? If you're not a good guy, then why not just let us finish up here and leave?"

"I may not be a good person, but I know what this water is capable of. You should drop the water and leave now, because if we fight here, you'll all find out why they call this place the Springs of Sorrow!" With that the belligerent youth took and unusual fighting stance, his umbrella held horizontally before him.

' _Double_ _Crap_!' This was the _last_ thing she wanted to do. She wracked her mind trying to find a way to diffuse the situation peacefully. Whoever this guy was, he knew a lot more about these springs than she did, and he was willing to fight all three of them by himself to stop them.

"You little Punk! You think you can beat the three of us!" She heard Mammoth yell behind her. She groaned as she felt him rush past her to attack Ryouga.

"Stop, you moron!" she yelled in vain

Ryouga seemed a little too confident for her comfort, which didn't take much considering how uncomfortable the surroundings were making her. He smirked at Mammoth's charge.

"Frankly, yes, but I don't need to beat you. If you fight me here, then Jusenkyo will defeat you for me," The stranger answered Mammoths challenge cryptically.

Mammoth pulled back his arm and prepared to smash Ryouga to pieces with all his might.

Jinx watched the unfolding fight with amusement. This might be over faster than she thought. The idiot boy was just standing there, raising up his hand like he planned to catch Mammoth's fist in his palm.

She looked away and covered her face to avoid the spray of gore.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, Ryouga was back in his element. All this talking and arguing lately had really been taxing his somewhat lacking social skills. But now the massive teen, Mammoth if he recalled, was charging to attack him.

He chuckled. This would be too easy. Though Mammoth was extremely tall, he was nowhere as huge as Lime had been. And his movements showed only a minimum amount of skill in the Martial Arts, a brawler at best.

And that punch, really, he was telegraphing it so badly Ryouga could have sensed it coming wearing a blind fold and ear plugs.

Ryouga raised his hand to catch the incoming fist.

Sure, this guy was large, but _no one_ was stronger than Ryouga Hibiki!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga snapped back to consciousness.

' _Crap_!' He'd blacked out for a fraction of a second! It was _impossible_ ; Mammoth's fist had slammed into his hand like a freight train. His palm didn't even slow the giant's fist as it continued and slammed into his chest with the force of a wrecking ball.

_'I've never been hit so hard in my life!'_

Ryouga noticed he was flying. His trajectory was as straight as a bullet's; looking down he could see his reflection flash by every few seconds as he flew over spring after spring.

Damn! He'd end up in a spring five seconds into the fight because he'd underestimated his opponent, what a rookie mistake. He quickly took stock of his situation. Ahead of him, coming up was a patch of bamboo growing out of a particularly large pool.

He'd have to time this perfectly... and hope the bamboo held.

Time slowed to a crawl as the bamboo approached him. He flipped in mid air, his feet now facing the plants. He hit the shoots lightly, quickly bending his knees and doing everything in his power to absorb the shock, so the delicate plants didn't snap like twigs. The bamboo gave under his weight, swaying back and then bending over.

Time was crawling by now. The bamboo was bent nearly ninety degrees with him perching on the stalk like an oversized bird. Looking down he saw his reflection in the pool slowly grow as the shoot continued to bend under his weight. He heard the ominous sounds of snapping wood coming from the center of the pool.

' _Please let this work_!' He had no idea what pool this was if he fell in.

Then, miraculously, his descent stopped. His feet were less than a foot above the treacherous water, his toes curled in apprehension.

Slowly, almost ponderously, the bamboo shoot began to rise back up to its original position, carrying him with it. He would have sighed in relief, but he was too busy focusing all his attention on what was coming next.

He vaguely remembered Ranma using this trick against him near the end of the blasting point duel. Cocky bastard; always coming up with tricks at the last minute.

Time revved back to normal as the bamboo unleashed all its captured potential energy, rising from the pool like an enormous bow unleashing an arrow. When it reached its peak Ryouga snapped his legs out straight, adding his considerable strength to the force of the bamboo's spring like release.

He flew back across the valley, a green and yellow bolt of potential pain.

All of this happened so fast that he could see Mammoth still recovering from the destructive blow he had landed on Ryouga. The look of shock that began to form on the giant's face was quite satisfying as Mammoth discerned Ryouga's rapid return.

Ryouga let out his battle cry as his fist slammed across Mammoth's jaw. This time it was the villain's turn to go flying. The oversized teen didn’t have Ryouga's control in the air as he went smashing through several stands of bamboo. The lost boy gasped in shock, though, as the large boy landed with a thud between three pools.

Really? What were the odds of that in Jusenkyo?

His musings were cut short as he heard a clicking and whirring sound off to the side.

Instinct took over and he was dodging even before he could tell why. His question was answered as red bursts of energy tore up the ground where he was standing a second ago.

The perpetrator was the giant spider.

Wait, that was some freakishly tiny kid wearing some kind of fancy backpack. At this distance he could see the large legs were made of metal. What mostly drew his attention was the red glowing device that protruded from the top of the pack.

With a loud whining sound, it unleashed another volley of crimson destruction.

Ryouga leapt, twirled, and flipped around the blasts. They moved faster than arrows, but he was far enough that he could determine where they would land by the angle of the weapon and the sound it gave off before any volley.

As confident as he was that he could keep dodging for awhile, he really didn't want to push his luck dancing around Jusenkyo. And more worryingly, Mammoth was already getting to his feet, rubbing his jaw like he wasn't really hurt at all.

What kind of monster was he?

…A slight twinge of irony ticked at Ryouga's memory.

Luckily, their apparent leader, the girl with gray skin and colorful hair like Raven's, hadn't decided to do anything yet. Maybe she was smart enough to take his warnings about fighting here seriously.

Still, he was going to have to figure something out soon, if all three converged on him he was certain they'd be able to take him down. There was no way he'd be able to fight at his full potential while taking care to avoid all the springs around him. The Bakusai Tenketsu was out, that was for sure.

The laser fire ceased abruptly. The sudden silence gave him enough warning to dodge to the side as a small black boot flew through the air where his head used to be. It looked like the girl, Jinx, had decided to join the fight. She seemed to have some skill as far as fighting went.

The outfit though, and those stripped socks, what look was she going for? Wicked witch of the east?

She preferred a circular and flowing style of fighting, reminiscent of many kung fu styles. Jinx came at him with a series of quick swinging chops, almost pirouetting between the attacks. She finished with a fast-backwards flip, snapping out a kick to his chin in mid air.

The girl was fast, but she was nowhere near Ranma's level. He easily weaved around the strikes and leaned back just enough to let the kick miss he face by less than an inch. He didn't even feel the need to block.

He was almost tempted to let her hit him, just to test her skill against his toughened hide. However, his chest still ached in a vivid testament to her partner's impossible strength. That and her hands were starting to glow a bright hot pink. He had never seen a pink battle aura before but wasn't overly interested in finding out what it would do to him.

To the side, Mammoth was getting ready to re-enter the fray as well. It was time to take the battle to the next level before things got messy. _'Let's see just see if this Jinx's reflexes are as cat-like as her eyes.'_

With a mighty leap, Ryouga launched himself over the incoming behemoth's head and landed lightly on the top of one of the bamboo poles. He then reached out his arm and beckoned Jinx to join him with the classic waving of his fingers.

Mammoth looked around in confusion trying to find where he went.

Jinx seemed reluctant for a moment, but then her eyes lit up with determination. Using her large friend's skull as a stepping-stone, Jinx double jumped up and landed on a bamboo shoot several feet away from him.

He chuckled to himself at the sight, so very much like Ranma. Her balance was perfect, and she seemed quite comfortable up here atop the reeds.

And then, the lost boy heard the tell-tale whine of Gizmo's energy weapon burning to life once again. He nimbly leapt to another pole, avoiding a potentially devastating dunking as a flurry of red beams of light burnt his perch to ash in seconds.

_'That just won't do,_ ' he grumbled to himself. He removed several bandannas and started twirling them until they became black and yellow blurs.

Jinx looked at him curiously before she began leaping from pole to pole approaching his position.

Mammoth just watched, not sure what to do.

The pink haired witch leveled a precise jump kick at him once again. Her attack was good, and it took most of his attention to dodge it and still be able to land on another shoot.

So, when he heard the whine of Gizmo's laser, he released his bandannas at the sound without really looking.

Ryouga landed carefully on another shoot. Jinx, not as used to fighting atop bamboo, hadn't planned what she was going to do after her jump kick. As it was, she just barely grabbed the charred remains of the shoot Ryouga had vacated and flipped herself up.

They were both interrupted by a scream from below.

It was quickly followed by a splash. Ryouga winced at _that_ sound.

While his first bandanna had indeed flown true and destroyed the laser, his other bandannas had not followed as closely as he had hoped. Two severed spider legs lying besides pool where the splash originated were a grim sign of where the unfortunate super genius had landed.

Mammoth roared out in anger. " _You killed Gizmo! You’re gonna pay_!"

With that Mammoth picked up a severed leg and swung it like a bat, smashing bamboo stalks left and right trying to get to Ryouga. Unfortunately, this included the one Jinx was currently perched on.

"You _moron_!" she cried as she fell to the pool below her.

Ryouga quailed internally, he didn't mean to curse the midget boy and he certainly didn't want to see a girl get cursed, villain or no. That Mammoth guy was an idiot, not even caring that he had endangered his other partner to avenge the first.

Ryouga felt his senses kick into hyper drive again. Time slowed once more, allowing him to take in his surroundings. It was one of the things that separated the good martial artists from the truly great ones. Fighters like him, Ranma, as well as a few others he knew, were able to shift their consciousness to a higher level during a fight. Making normal warriors appear to move in slow motion.

As it was Jinx was slowly falling towards the pool below. Mammoth was still swinging around that damn leg. He might kill the girl with it before she even had a chance to get cursed.

A plan sprang into his mind immediately, not terribly clever, but then that wasn't really his style.

He flipped down and kicked off the bamboo shoot, hoping to reach the edge of the pool before Jinx hit the water. At the same time, he swung out and launched his overly heavy umbrella at the flailing Mammoth. Even as heavy as it was and with his full strength behind it, he doubted it would really hurt the massive youth. However, he wasn't aiming at Mammoth, so even a weak throw with no leverage like that should hopefully work.

He touched down on the bank of the pool - thankfully, it didn't collapse under him - and launched himself across the surface of the spring like an arrow.

Distantly he heard the crunch of metal on metal. Good, the umbrella had hit where he wanted to and had enough power to destroy the metal.

Jinx loomed up before him and through some small miracle, he managed to catch her slight frame a fraction of a second before she splashed into the pool. Her boots cut tiny waves in the water's surface as he carried them both to safety on the other side of the spring, splashing some of the water up worryingly towards them, but their clothing thankfully absorbed it.

They cleared the bank of the spring and he dug his hand into the earth, dragging them to a stop so they didn't fly into the spring right next door.

Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

Behind him he heard the dull thump of the spider leg and his umbrella hitting the ground.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx had absolutely no idea what was happening anymore. She had just pulled herself back on top of the bamboo shoot when she had narrowly missed kicking the infuriately fast martial artist.

Then things just stopped making sense.

The guy, Ryouga, had pulled off some of his stupid looking headbands and started swinging them around. Why he did that, she couldn't figure out. Then Gizmo started firing off his little peashooter trying to hit the guy.

Then, without looking, Ryouga threw the headbands at the diminutive genius. They flew like black and yellow discus right at Gizmo. The diminutive genius had managed to shoot one of them down, the tattered cloth floating to the ground softly.

The other two however, did the impossible. Somehow, the simple cloth headbands cut through Gizmo's inventions like a knife through butter. The first one severed the laser cannon in a shower of sparks.

The second cut through two of the spider legs protruding from Gizmo's backpack. The tiny villain only had enough time to yell and wave his arms around frantically before he lost balance and fell right into the center of the pool beside him.

She never had a chance to see if he surfaced, because her mentally deficient partner started flailing around with one of the legs. The moron even smashed the pole she was standing on.

Everything after that was a blur of blue, green, and brown-

Then a heavy impact against her frame, and she was flying horizontally rather than vertically. She looked down and saw her reflection in the pool for a fraction of a second before she was over ground again.

She was jarred again as her flight stopped with a sudden jerk. Then she was lifted several feet off the ground. She looked up to see that she was being held in the Japanese martial artist's arms.

_'Hmm, this isn't bad, really,_ ' she thought to herself.

In the background she idly heard two heavy objects hit the ground.

Still, she'd have to turn in her Super Villain membership card if she passed up such a perfect opportunity. She looked up into his eyes. He was looking back, a strange mix of worry and apprehension on his face. Apparently, he saw what was coming.

She smiled wickedly and raised a single, pink glowing finger, and pointed it directly at his chest. All he could do was close his eyes and look away.

With a sizzling flash, the world dissolved into pink.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga cracked open one of his eyes. Squinting he looked around.

_'Hmm, that was odd_.'

…Nothing had happened.

He looked down at the girl in his arms, one of his eyebrows raised questioningly.

She looked back sheepishly and shrugged.

"That's never happened to me before, I swear," she said, almost in apology.

Ryouga rolled his eyes and dropped her on her butt.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ouch! _Jerk_ ," muttered Jinx as she got back to her feet.

Well that was it for her; somehow this guy had incapacitated at least one of her friends. What was worse, he seemed to be immune to her power. And he didn't even look to be any worse for the encounter.

She looked around. There was still no sign of Gizmo anywhere. Jinx guessed that the poor little guy got pulled under by all his electronic toys. Ironic, that. Absently she noticed there was a turtle crawling around the pool now.

She looked over to where Mammoth had been only moments ago.

And her eyes nearly bugged out of her skull!

Where had that Orangutan come from?

Sitting around the simian were several objects. The first was the spider leg that Mammoth had been swinging around. The second was the red umbrella that Ryouga had been carrying.

She looked in disbelief. The end of the umbrella was impaled through one of the metal canisters that Mammoth had had strapped to his chest. One of the canisters that had been holding the water from the springs. The rest of the containers she noticed slowly slide into a nearby spring, the bandoleer still holding them together and pulling them all in.

Jinx felt an overpowering desire to cry.

Both of her friends were gone, their mission was failed, and the Headmaster was probably going to do terrible things to her when she got back. And she didn't even have her teammates to take the blame for her.

"I hope you're happy now, mister," she grumbled.

He looked at her, somewhat confused.

She turned and glared at him, hands on her hips.

"You ruined _everything_! My friends are gone! You messed up my mission and now the Headmaster is gonna tear me a new one! You might as well take me to jail now, at least I'd be safe there for a while," she shouted furiously.

The boy seemed to feel bad at that, running his hand through his hair in embarrassment. Well, that was kind of different, good guys usually didn't feel bad over foiling their schemes.

He looked up. "Um, does that mean we're done fighting then?" he asked hesitantly.

She sighed. "What would be the point? You're obviously a better fighter than me, and my power doesn't seem to work on you. And there isn't anything to fight over anyway; all the water that we collected is gone."

She absently looked to the pool that nearly claimed her.

"Worst of all, you actually saved me! _Me_! Your _enemy_! Why did you do that?" she asked angrily.

He started twirling his fingers before him. "Well it's not right to fight girls, and I didn't want to see you get cursed like your friends did. Honestly, I didn't really think about it, I just kind of did it," he murmured quietly.

Didn't like fighting girls? What a sexist... still it was kinda nice to know that chivalry wasn't completely dead.

"Fine, whatever, just take me in already, I'm not in the mood to banter with you all day," she uttered.

Ryouga smirked at that. "Take you in?" He waved an arm indicating the countryside around them. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're in the wilds of China; I don't think there's a jail within a few hundred miles in any direction." He seemed to consider things for a moment.

"Look, I only fought you guys because you were taking the water from here. But you can't do that now, and your friends have already been punished enough. Look, how about you just go, and we call things even," he offered.

She considered this. It was a fairer deal than she usually got. She decided to accept his unusual offer.

"Okay, I can deal with that. You know, Ryouga; you're way less of a loser than most of the hero types I know."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga wasn't sure how to take that comment.

Still things seemed be settled now. Jinx started walking off towards the east... well he was fairly sure it was east. Come to think of it, which way were his friends in the forest? He really _was_ turned around now.

He somehow thought it would be bad form if Jinx walked right into them on her way out after he had, in essence, let her escape.

He doubted the Titans would be too happy with him over that but sending Jinx to jail over this didn't seem right.

Really, it wasn't a crime to take water from a spring after all. What should be a crime is those bottled water companies that claim to use spring water. Bottled water had seemed like such a good idea until he nearly gagged on all the garbage that was floating in that one bottle he had bought.

Spring water his tiny bacony ass.

"Um, Jinx?"

She turned and looked at him expectantly.

"Shouldn't you take your friends with you?" he asked.

One of her eyebrows rose cutely, questioning his mental state.

"Um, my friends are gone, Ryouga. You kinda killed them and all," she shot back.

He looked at her strangely. "Killed them, what are you talking about? Your friends are right there." He waved his arms pointing to the Orangutan and the turtle that were now looking at each other in confusion. The orangutan idly poked the turtle's shell several times.

Jinx looked at him like he was totally crazy now. "Are you _serious_?"

He shrugged. "They're called the _cursed springs_ , not the deadly springs of killing. They got cursed when they got splashed with the water." He pointed to the turtle. "Your little friend there fell into the 'spring of drowned painted turtle'. A tragic tale of a painted turtle that drowned in the spring eleven hundred years ago."

He then pointed to the orangutan. "Your other friend, Mammoth, got splashed with water from the 'spring of drowned orangutan' . . . um, I'm not sure when it happened but I can assure you that it was a tragic tale as well."

She smirked. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you? But how on earth does a turtle drown in a little pond like that?"

He shrugged. "Hey, if an octopus can drown, then so can a turtle."

Obviously, that wasn't the answer she was looking for him as her mouth fell open in disbelief.

He smiled. "Look, all you have to do is douse them with hot water and they'll be back to normal. And you might want to take the long way back to your ship . . . um, I think I might have seen another group of people wearing clothes kind of like yours wandering through the forest."

Jinx looked back at him strangely but seemed to accept what he said. He must have finally pushed her over her boundaries of rational thought, and she was just going with it now. The pink haired girl walked over to the two animals. She gently picked up the turtle and took the orangutan's hand. She then started leading them out of the valley.

She looked back one last time.

"I have a feeling that we'll meet again, Ryouga Hibiki," she stated ominously.

Then the odd trio continued on their way.

One thing had him curious though. He just had to know.

"Hey! Jinx!" he yelled out to the retreating figure of the villainous teen.

"What is it this time?" she yelled back in annoyance.

"What exactly was your pink energy attack thing supposed to do anyway?" he bellowed his question.

She yelled back her answer then turned and vanished into the mists of Jusenkyo.

"It was supposed to give you bad luck!"

Ryouga blinked.

She had tried to make his luck worse?

He couldn't help himself; he started laughing as loud as he could.

To think, that someone thought they could possibly make his luck any worse than it already was.

He nearly doubled over from laughing so hard; tears were rolling down his cheeks-

Which is pretty much when the ground under his feet collapsed and he lost his balance completely.

The splash he made echoed throughout the entire valley.


	3. A Walk In The Park

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't

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Beast Boy sniffed the air again, but to no avail. He had lost the scent; it was as simple as that. With a frustrated growl he finally gave up and morphed back to his elfin form.

They had been searching the valley for over an hour, despite Ryouga's warnings. However, they still could not find the boy; it was like he had simply vanished. The only reason they knew they were even in the right place was the amount of destruction they had found.

Several smoking holes, likely caused by Gizmo's rather memorable laser cannon, were scattered around the pools and several deep furrows had been dug into the soft soil. Aside from that, shattered bamboo was about the worst of the debris littering the landscape, excepting a few metallic odds and ends. In retrospect, the level of damage was mild compared to their usual romps in the city, but there wasn't that much out here to wreck.

Cyborg had already stumbled across the lost boy's overly large backpack. It lay discarded near the center of the battlefield. Several pools over, Robin had stumbled across Ryouga's umbrella. Somehow, the seemingly delicate accoutrement had torn through the metal shell of some kind of container.

Beast Boy chuckled to himself in amusement. He was still recovering from the sheer hilarity of Robin's first, and only, attempt to lift the deceptively fragile looking umbrella; their fearless leader had nearly given himself a _hernia_ when he had tried to pick it up. They'd had to get Starfire to retrieve the darned thing for them, since Beast Boy wasn't any more eager to throw his back out than Robin was.

The Tamaranean had simply loved it, saying that it felt like a piece of home. She now had it lying across her shoulder in an incredibly cute fashion.

Cyborg guessed the thing must have been made of depleted uranium or something to weigh as much as it did. It seemed clear that the scientifically inclined Titan's curiosity was piqued and that he wanted a closer look at the thing. However, the two of them agreed Starfire looked too cute twirling it around and that she could keep it for now.

The only other things they had found were a few of Ryouga's headbands - How many did that guy have and why was he dropping them, anyway? - and two of Gizmo's spider legs.

_'Heh, heh, looks like he didn't have a leg to stand on after Ryouga was done with him._ '

…Okay that sounded lame even in his own head.

Off to the side, Robin knelt, his knee sinking slightly into the soft earth. The young detective in training was still trying to piece together what had occurred down here while they had been stuck waiting up in the forest. Unfortunately, it didn't look like the guy was having much in the way of luck; heck, it looked like a lot of the battle hadn't even taken place on the ground.

Worst of all, Beast Boy _still_ found himself confused over the scents. He could clearly make out four separate scents: Gizmo, Jinx, Mammoth and Ryouga. However, while Jinx's scent trail was easy to follow, the other three had just vanished. He figured it might have had something to do with the pools, since Gizmo's and Ryouga's scents both ended at the edges of pools. Mammoth's scent, on the other hand, had disappeared in the middle of a patch of earth between several pools.

A few other odd scents appeared, but he couldn't identify them. All he knew for sure was that Jinx had walked out of the valley and escaped. Robin hadn't exactly been pleased when he'd received that little tidbit of joy, but their stalwart young leader had told them that it was more important to find their missing friend than to chase after the lone villain.

As if anyone would disagree with him on that.

The changeling then took a moment to surreptitiously glance over in Raven's direction. Beast Boy was a little worried about the gothic female. To anyone that didn't know her, she seemed to be acting normally, gliding from one pool to another, looking for any sign of their lost companion.

He knew her just a little better than that, though. Her glide was a little more hasty than usual, her movements tense and hesitant to his sharp eyes. Even from the distance, his keen ears could make out the whispered sound of her breath. The usually calm, almost mechanical rhythm of her breathing had a tiny tremor in it that he couldn't remember hearing before. Finally, during the quick flashes which he could actually see the young woman's face, he could see her eyes hiding carefully concealed panic; the unusual violet of her cornea's darted about quickly, the white's of her eyes much more prevalent than was usual for her.

He was sure she was blaming herself for Ryouga's disappearance.

His first instinct was to simply go over and tell her it wasn't true - The wandering martial artist had known what he was doing when he came down here. He knew the risks of fighting around the cursed pools, yet did it anyway, because it was the right thing to do. Beast Boy was sure that any of his friends would have done the same thing if they had been in Ryouga's position. Unfortunately, he knew Raven would never listen to him, if only out of habit.

_'One of the draw backs to always playing the clown,_ ' he thought sadly.

"Yo guys! Check this out!" Cyborg's voice sounded across the valley.

Beast Boy followed the voice to find his friend standing beside one of the many pools. The cybernetic teen's arm panel was open, and it looked like he was scanning the pool. A moment later, Robin joined the two of them to look at the readout on Cyborg's limb as well.

"Look at this." Cyborg pointed to the small display screen on his arm.

Displayed on the screen was a three-dimensional framework. After a few moments Beast Boy figured out what he was looking at.

"Dude, that's-"

"It's Gizmo's backpack." Robin's authoritative voice cut him off. "Is Gizmo down there, Cyborg?"

Cyborg shook his head. "No, my scanners are only picking up the metal of his backpack, I'm not seeing any organic material down there. He must have ditched it when he went under so he wouldn't drown."

Robin stroked a gloved knuckle down his chin as he considered what he had just heard.

"Cy, go over to the other pool, the one where Ryouga's trail ends and scan that one."

He then turned to Beast Boy as Cyborg left to scan the other pool.

"Beast Boy, you said you checked this pool already yes?"

The shape shifter nodded in the affirmative. "You got it, man. Gizmo went in, but he didn’t come out."

To further prove his point, Beast Boy pointed to the soft dirt surrounding the small pool of water. "Look, there aren't even any human footprints around the pool, even a midget like Gizmo would leave tracks in ground this muddy."

"Good job, Beast Boy, that's what I thought as well."

Beast Boy basked slightly in the minor praise. It was more than he usually got.

"But that begs the question, if Gizmo went in but didn't come out… then, where is he?"

Robin's question seemed more rhetorical than pointed at Beast Boy, so he simply shrugged. However, almost by chance something caught his eye. All at once, things started to click together in his mind, two and two rushing madly together to form something vaguely resembling four.

"Dude, I think Ryouga wasn't yankin' our chains at all. Look there, man." He pointed emphatically to a small area at the edge of the pool they were examining.

In the dirt were tiny tracks, clawing at the mud to escape the water's surface. Robin might not know what they were, but Beast Boy had been a turtle enough times to know what their tracks looked like.

Robin looked at the tracks then back at him questioningly. "I don't quite see where you're going with this," he stated simply.

" _Dude_ , we're totally overlooking the obvious. Ryouga said these springs turned you into whatever drowned in that spring, _right_? I know none of us really took him seriously, but _what if he was telling the truth_? Look here, Gizmo goes in, but Turtle comes out! It's totally like that Arkham’s Shaver thing Raven keeps saying!" he blurted out his theory.

Robin seemed skeptical, but that wouldn't stop Beast Boy now.

"No, check it out. Do you see any other turtle tracks goin' into the pool? No! The only tracks around this pool are Gizmo's spider leggy holes and these turtle tracks… I bet that turtle _was_ Gizmo. It also explains how his scent suddenly vanished!" Beast Boy was feeling strongly about his insane sounding theory. It _was_ strange though, even for teenage superheroes that fought crazed super villains at least once a week.

Robin's eye mask narrowed as he started to take in the possibility that presented itself to him. He turned to Raven. "Raven, do you sense anything strange from these pools?"

Raven turned to face the two of them, her face looking strangely gaunt. "I haven't sensed anything _normal_ since I set foot in this valley. There's some form of strange energy field encompassing the whole of Jusenkyo. I’d be surprised if Jinx didn't sense it as well, her powers are based on magic just like mine."

Before either of them had the chance to ask her what it was that she was talking about, Cyborg made his heroic return from the other pool, Starfire following him carefully. She now wore Ryouga's backpack as well as his umbrella.

"I had to modify my sensors a bit, but yeah I found something at the bottom of the other pool, too. It looks like Ryouga's clothes are down there, but no Ryouga. Wherever he is, Dude is in his birthday suit," he explained.

Beast Boy chuckled as he saw the two girls' faces go red at the thought of the lost boy running around in the buff.

Robin sighed. "Okay, as crazy as this sounds, I think Beast Boy is right. We must go under the assumption that Ryouga fell into that pool and was cursed... again. Beast Boy find out whatever kind of tracks he's leaving now and follow them. We have to find him and change him back so we can find out what happened here."

Everyone nodded and followed him over to the pool in question. It wasn't too hard to find the tracks he was looking for in the soft soil between the pools. What the tracks were from was anyone's guess, though. Whatever it was; it was smaller than a dog but had little padded feet with tiny little claws. He couldn't tell what kind of animal left those tracks, but now that he had the scent and the trail, he could follow them easily.

Hey, maybe with all this tracking, his friends would start treating him with a little more respect. He'd pretty much cracked this case single handed.

"Yo Grass-stain, get your butt in gear, we don't got all day!" grumbled his titanium coated comrade.

Beast Boy growled through his canine muzzle.

Or maybe not.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven was having a terrible time trying to concentrate. The aura permeating the entire valley was oppressive in its intensity. She could barely maintain the concentration to even levitate the small distance above the ground that she already was.

The energy was unfamiliar, and she was certain it had a malevolent bent to it. She could almost feel the tendrils of dark power clawing at her, trying to lead her towards the pools themselves.

If Jinx felt this even half as keenly as she did, well, then her grudging respect for the sorceress would have to be raised a few notches. Anyone that would willingly stay in such proximity to these springs after sensing the forces at work here had to be either courageous or just plain crazy.

She idly wondered which one _she_ was.

One thing she was sure about, though. She was not worried about Ryouga's disappearance and she certainly didn't feel responsible for it in any way. … _Right_.

_'Damn it_!' Was Beast Boy following the lost boy's trail or taking a siesta?

She fought the urge to vocalize her frustration. Even the internal cursing was more than she usually indulged in, and it was beginning to worry her. She was tempted to just stop right there and begin meditating. The violet-eyed titan was starting to believe that she hadn't totally recovered from her encounter with Ryouga's Shi Shi Houkodan. She knew she had purged herself of his foreign emotions but found herself worrying about any possible lingering effects his uncontrolled emotions might have had upon her own tightly regulated and segregated feelings.

She needed her mirror and judging by the anxiety she was just barely hiding from her friends, she needed it badly.

A seductive thought permeated her mind.

…Would it be so wrong if she just let go? If she accepted her emotions, even if just once? What if she allowed herself to become like her friends, instead of just the creepy girl in her darkened room? The thought of being so free appealed to her. Free to love, to laugh, to get angry at Beast Boy and his stupid pranks.

It had potential; she already had someone she could try the first thing with. The lost boy was so exotic to her, she hardly knew him really, but he seemed so like her in some respects but totally opposite in others. The dichotomy intrigued her. That and he seemed starved for affection, so she doubted it would take too much to arouse his interest.

She raised a delicate finger to her chin, contemplating the various novels she had read and the various methods that were used in them to seduce unsuspecting young travelers-

Her reverie was interrupted bodily as she floated directly into an unyielding wall of orange and purple hues. Green eyes filled with compassion and worry gazed down at her from on high.

"Friend Raven, are you alright? You seem somewhat unfocused in your contemplations."

Her friend's voice rang like sweet bells in the oppressive weight of Jusenkyo and the familiar sound stopped Raven in her tracks. Alright? Of course, she was alrigh-

“…”

What on Earth had she been _thinking_? _Seducing Ryouga_? Succumbing to her emotions? She knew what would happen if she did that. She knew _very well_ why she could never let her emotions take control of her.

Raven felt the grass compact beneath her feet as she slowly lowered to the ground. She looked up to see Starfire still looking down at her in concern.

"Starfire... I'm not sure how I am right now. This place, it's disrupting my concentration," she uttered the half truth convincingly.

The Tamaranean nodded in sympathy. "Do not worry, Raven; Beast Boy is diligently following the trail we have found. It appears that we are nearing the edge of the valley and you will not have to suffer for much longer," she offered, warmth saturating her words.

The gothic teen simply nodded. This mission was really draining her, rather limited, emotional reserves already. If she were subjected to another uncontrolled emotion, she felt she would probably scream-

Raven nearly choked on her own tongue!

From literally out of nowhere, a cloud of intense anger and embarrassment had descended on her like a locust swarm

Apparently, they had found Ryouga.

She looked ahead to the origin of the powerful emotions. Within seconds, a figure appeared in the mists, slowly resolving itself into the athletic frame of their lost, Lost Boy.

He was walking with powerful strides, his face red and his features hard like granite. At least until he noticed them, anyway. The moment he did, all the negativity flowed out of him like a pricked balloon, and his face lit up with relief when he saw them. She noticed his eyes seek her out and rest on her for a moment longer than anyone else. The smile on his face seemed to be for her alone.

But what was he wearing? It looked to be some drab green uniform, apparently owned by someone of a much larger girth than the current occupant. He still had his bandannas though, why he retained those but lost the rest of his clothing seemed odd to her.

Still the relief she felt seeing him alright blew all those unimportant details from her mind. She moved forward to get closer to the Japanese martial artist.

A cry of unearthly suffering pre-empted her.

' _Ouch_.' Raven winced in sympathy as Starfire had decided to introduce Ryouga to the fine art of the Tamaranean 'hug', at least that was what _she_ called it.

The poor boy's face was turning blue and his arms stuck out at funny angles, his fingers making strange little gestures. Still, she didn't hear any bones snapping or grinding together. The boy was tougher than he looked.

Beast Boy and Cyborg were laughing their pre-adolescent heads off at the scene. She smirked a wry little smirk; Robin seemed to be somewhat less than happy, his eye mask narrowing to the point that she wondered if he could even see what was going on now.

Really, she thought he would be used to this by now, Starfire hugged everyone, whether they wanted her to or not.

"It is joyous to see you unharmed, our good friend Ryouga!" beamed the beautiful alien girl. She then released her joyous hug on her unfortunate victim.

Ryouga's remains collapsed to the ground.

" _Hahahaha_! At least it _was_ nice to see you unharmed, Dude!" Beast Boy choked out between his laughter. Beast Boy and Cyborg were leaning on each other for support now, their laughter filling the entire cursed training grounds.

Her wry smirk grew into a hesitant smile, that probably wasn't the greeting their friend had been expecting. As everyone else continued to laugh or glare, she gracefully walked over and helped the unfortunate boy to his feet.

Starfire was blushing brightly now. "I am most apologetic; I was just ecstatic to see you intact. I am sometimes unawares as to my own strength to mass ratio on this planet."

Ryouga looked at her for a moment, apparently trying to figure out exactly what she said. Then he shook his head and smiled. "Don't worry about it." Then silently, almost under his breath he muttered, "Now I know how Ranma feels every time he runs into Shampoo"

Raven had absolutely no idea what he meant by that. Still his words put her alien friend at ease, another set of giggles escaping her orange hued lips. Beast Boy, having finally recovered from his bout of laughter, chose that moment to run forward and grab Ryouga's shoulders.

"Dude, you _gotta_ tell us what spring you fell in. What do you turn into now?" he asked fervently.

"I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO. TALK. ABOUT. IT!" Ryouga somehow combined the tactics of yelling and biting off his words at the same time. And combined with the acidic glare he had just leveled at the small changeling . . . well, it almost appeared that the emerald teen had teleported behind Cyborg once more.

" _Eeep_!"

Cyborg looked behind him. "Uh-uh, man, not this time. You don't just run up to a guy and ask about his new curse and then expect me to cover your green butt." The heavily built teen gracefully stepped aside revealing the cowering form behind him.

Robin shook his head in frustration. "Ok, that's enough you guys. Ryouga, you need to tell us what went on here. It looks like Jinx managed to escape, and we need to know what she got away with."

Ryouga nodded. "I'll tell you what happened here..." He looked around nervously. "Just, can we get out of here first? I've had enough of Jusenkyo to last _several_ lifetimes."

Raven couldn't have agreed more.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga sighed. This day had started out so well, too. A little innocent wandering, saving a damsel in distress. And he had secretly enjoyed getting to show off his secret techniques to the five teens with him when he had destroyed that stone monster.

He snickered to himself. Really, a stone monster running around this close to the Amazon village? It was only a matter of time before _someone_ had come and blasted it to pieces, if only for the story they could tell the rest of the tribe.

Things had started to go downhill fast after that. Going back to Jusenkyo, getting cursed _again_ **!** It was too bad that Raven was so susceptible to his Shi Shi Houkodan; the mood he was in, he had a strong desire to let off a perfect version or two to blow off some steam.

He chuckled malevolently. He wondered how much seeing him do _that_ would shock his new friends.

And then there had been that big guy down in the valley. And Starfire for that matter? He hadn't been hugged that powerfully since the last time he had ran into his mother. Was everyone outside of Nerima secretly stronger than him and just not telling?

Ryouga had always been proud of his incredible strength. Some people almost defined him by it. 'Ranma was fast and Ryouga was strong' He was a little shaken to suddenly meet not one, but two people that were mightier than him. He subtly glared at Cyborg out of the corner of his eye. Maybe even three, he'd seen enough movies to know that robots were usually a lot stronger than normal people.

A sigh escaped his lips. He glanced at the small violet haired girl that walked beside him. He blushed slightly as she caught his eyes with her own and smirked. He smiled awkwardly then looked back ahead. Well, things weren't all bad, he supposed.

He had already told Robin and the others what had occurred back in Jusenkyo. Well, almost everything at any rate. Ryouga had explained the battle in detail. Beast Boy's eager expression had made the story telling a rewarding experience. He had glossed over a few bits: how freaked out he had been after Mammoth had hit him, how it had been an accident that he had sent Gizmo dropping into the pool.

And _definitely_ how he had just let the three of them walk out of Jusenkyo freely.

He had told them that Jinx's blast had sent him flying and that that was how he had ended in the pool. He was sure they believed him. After all, he was an excellent liar, having hid his secret from Akane for so long. That was the only reason that made sense, anyway, how else could he hide such a huge and well-known secret from someone for so long if he were a terrible liar? That person would have to be pretty dense.

Not Akane, though, she was the most intelligent and wonderful girl he had ever met.

He glanced to the side again... well, one of them, anyway.

Regardless, he told them that he had gotten rid of all the stolen water, so there was no reason to worry about them. That seemed to satisfy Robin. They may not have captured the villains, but at least their villainous plot had been foiled. And by proxy too.

After that, they had all been standing around, just outside of the boundaries of Jusenkyo. The Titans had no supplies and their vehicle had been smashed to pieces. Cyborg figured from what he had seen back in the clearing, it would take him weeks to repair the T-Ship. Sure, the outer sections weren't too bad off, but Beast Boy's pod was smashed badly.

Ryouga knew that his backpack wouldn't be able to sustain them all for that long. And he was sure that hunting Pandas was illegal, even way out here. Not that he could bring himself to hurt a panda anyway.

Well, except Genma of course, but that went without saying.

So, Ryouga had made the only suggestion that made any sense to him at the time.

Ranma had told him that the Amazon village was only a day's walk away from Jusenkyo, after all.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx dropped the cursed turtle to the ground.

Really, trying to nestle up to her breasts like that! The little pervert was lucky he had a tough shell that was for sure.

They had finally made it back to their ship. And not a moment too soon in her opinion; Mammoth's new odor was even more offensive than his original one. Not to mention Gizmo's perverted antics.

Sure, she didn't exactly have a lot to nuzzle up to, but a girl still had to have her pride.

The pink haired witch swallowed nervously as she stared at the gaudy orange ship that sat silent on the ground before them. The entry hatch hung open invitingly, though ominously seemed like a more apt term now.

_'Well, we're here now,_ ' she mused. All they had to do was get in the ship and head back to base... and report their failure to the Headmaster.

She wondered if it was too late to go find Ryouga and beg him to take them to prison, any prison at all. She looked at her companions.

Maybe even a zoo would work.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga idly played with the twisted remains of the metal canister that had been impaled on his trusty umbrella. The umbrella that he _hadn't_ gotten back yet. He tried to glare in Starfire's direction, but failed utterly. It would be like glaring at Kasumi, he felt dirty just thinking about it.

Still, she looked so happy spinning his umbrella around like a depleted uranium parasol. At the moment, she was posing cutely for Robin trying to get a reaction from the tightly wound titan leader.

His aborted glare melted into a smile. Even _he_ could tell there was something going on between those two. And generally, he didn't notice anything unless it hit him with the force of a runaway sports sedan. Fine, she could hold onto it... for now.

He felt naked without it, though.

"Okay, I know I told you there was a village really close by, but there are some things you might want to know about it before we get there," he started slowly.

"Ryo, man, we've been walking for _hours_! I thought you said the place was _close_. I'm _dying_ here," whined the shape shifting Titan.

The lost boy rolled his eyes. "It's only a day's walk from Jusenkyo, and we've even got a road to follow with signs that say, 'This way to Amazon village'."

Even _he_ couldn't get lost like this… a second later he fought the urge to grab Raven's cloak and hold on for dear life. Who was he kidding? If he weren't surrounded at the four cardinal points by Titans, he'd probably be halfway back to Japan by now. Or Tahiti, but that wouldn't be too bad; he loved the snow there.

Which was somewhat fitting, since it would be a cold day in hell before he admitted his directional problem to five youths with him. It was bad enough they knew he was cursed, if not what he was cursed to turn into.

"A whole _day_! Dude, that's gonna take us forever to walk there!" Beast Boy continued to vocalize his opinion on the subject.

What was _his_ problem? Only walking for a day _was_ a short trip. Heck, Ryouga had lost track of how long he'd been on the road before Raven had landed in his arms. City living obviously made people weak - except for Starfire, anyway. He was still getting the kinks out from that hug.

"Look, this village, well it's a bit eccentric, and they have some strange rules that you should _really_ know before we get there," he continued, ignoring Beast Boy's frivolous complaints.

Raven glared at Beast Boy for him and nodded for him to continue.

"Alright, okay, I've never actually been there before, but I know a lot of people that have. Apparently, it's easy to get yourself in trouble if you don't know what you're doing. First off, the village is dominated by women; they call themselves the Joketsuzoku, uh, the 'Tribe of Women Heroes', I think is what it translates to. Kind of like a Chinese version of the Amazons, I guess."

He seemed to get mixed results from this. Raven looked like she wanted to argue about the term 'Chinese Amazon'. Starfire seemed intrigued by the idea of a female run society. Beast Boy and Cyborg –

" _Dude_ , are you serious? A whole village of ladies waitin for a visit from the B-man? Awesome!"

Yeah, they seemed excited for some reason. He almost felt sad for them.

"Um, yeah, whoever B-man is. Now listen, this part is important. The entire village trains in the martial arts, they're literally obsessed with it. All the women in the village are fighters of one type or another. They're led by a council of ancient old crones, be careful around them. They've each got hundreds of years of fighting skills and secret techniques up their sleeves."

Well that got Robin's attention.

"An entire village of people dedicated to training in the martial arts?" he asked. Ryouga could almost see the line of drool forming on the eager young fighter's chin.

He nodded with a smile on his face, even as he hid his resigned sigh. He felt bad for how disappointed Robin would be when they finally got to the village. They didn't exactly believe in equal rights there, from what he understood, and he doubted Robin's fancy cape or spandex outfit would change their minds.

Well maybe the spandex would, they were hundred-year-old ladies, after all, maybe a little free show would go a long way for them?

He shuddered slightly at that thought. Some prices were too high, no matter the knowledge one might gain.

"Yeah, but this is where things start to get strange."

They all looked at him incredulously. _What_? A village of Amazons in the middle of China wasn't really that strange, was it?

"They have two major laws that you absolutely **_have. To. Know_** before you set foot in the village," he explained very specifically.

He turned to regard Starfire and Raven directly. "The first law is the one that the two of you _really_ have to worry about. Any outsider female that defeats an Amazon in combat will receive the 'Kiss of Death' and be hunted down to the ends of the earth and killed."

" _What_?"

" _That's Nuts_!"

"Who _makes up_ these rules?"

The three Titan males made their disbelief known quite vocally.

The two lovely females were far too shocked to say anything at all.

"You need to be really careful, too, because from what I hear, the Warriors here love to challenge anyone that comes into the village. So, under no circumstances can you accept anyone's challenge, got it?" he asked them both emphatically.

They numbly nodded in understanding. Their eyes were still wide in distress from the unexpected news.

"Good, now onto the second rule." He looked over to the three angry males, still cursing under their breaths. "This one concerns you three – "

"Don't worry Star; I won't let any crazy Amazon challenge you to a fight!" Robin's brave declaration made Starfire nearly melt with joy.

Ryouga slapped a hand to his face - Hey, why was he hitting himself? He turned and swatted the Titan leader across the back of the head.

" _Ouch_! What was that for?" barked the young vigilante.

"You aren't fighting anyone either, Robin! The second law states that any outsider _male_ that defeats an Amazon is automatically _married_ to the woman he just defeated!" he yelled out.

He wanted to make sure they got the point.

"M-m- _marriage_!"

"M-m- _marriage_!"

Starfire and Beast Boy sounded in stereo. Their reactions after that varied greatly, though.

"Robin; _marry_ some _strange woman_? I will not allow it!" The flame haired beauty began to pace furiously, her tirade dissolving into a language that Ryouga had never heard before.

Beast Boy fainted.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honestly, by that point, Cyborg didn't really know what was going on anymore. He was pretty much just going with the flow of insanity. This was easily turning into one of the strangest situations he had ever found himself in. And not funny strange either, more of a disturbing strange kind of feeling.

It wasn't like he'd never seen magic before. A list formed in his mind: Mumbo Jumbo, the Puppet King, heck he'd spent an evening palling around in Raven's mind with Beast Boy before.

But magic springs? Martial artists right out of BB's movies? A whole village of Amazons that were just as likely to kill you as they were to marry you depending on your gender?

He needed to get back to his lab and start designing some cool new inventions to remind him that science still existed and that his precious laws of physics hadn't abandoned him completely.

Cyborg was starting to feel that sense of dread building up again.

They had spent the night beside the road. It had been a nice rest; and they had amazed Ryouga with some of their own stories. He chuckled to himself; it was kind of ironic. The Lost Boy kept going on about how unbelievable their stories were and how amazing their adventures sounded.

What's that saying? The grass is always greener?

When they had told Ryouga about Slade, Ryouga literally hadn't believed them. That there was someone so purely evil didn't make sense to the lost boy. The closest the lost boy had seen that could compare were a few spoiled princes kidnapping brides because they didn't know any better. Well, that and some Ranma person that had apparently caused him to experience all kinds of hell.

But Ryouga admitted that not even Ranma was as bad as Slade... reluctantly.

That morning they had woken up early, against BB's wishes and had headed out immediately. And now the village was in finally in sight. It looked like a picture out of a history book. The architecture consisted of elegantly sloping roofs covered with brightly colored tiles topping solidly constructed homes. Some of the buildings were built in the unlikeliest of places, as well, one even rested on a raised cliff hanging over a dozen meters above the rest of the village. All around the village, tilled farmland could be seen, laborers and beasts of burdens tending to the many fields.

Had a nice rustic feel to it.

Ryouga looked a bit nervous, though. He'd taken the point and was leading them up to the village gate. He told them he spoke the language. Strangely he didn't seem confident that would help though.

From the distance Cyborg could just make out two figures, they looked to be standing guard over the gate. He zoomed in his cybernetic eye for a closer look.

An appreciative whistle escaped his lips.

"Ryouga, my man, you didn't say what babes the girls here were."

" _What_? Dude, let me see!" The changeling jumped on his back and started climbing over him, trying to pull out his ruby colored eye.

He grabbed the offending grass stain off his back. "BB, that's my _eye_ , you can't just pop it out and look through it. You'll just have to wait to see the smokin hot chicks up close," he teased his small friend.

He pretended to focus in again and made a few wolf whistles to make his point further.

"Aww, Cy, _that's no fair_!" moaned Beast Boy.

Robin and Ryouga were shaking their heads in amusement while Starfire giggled at their antics. Raven just rolled her eyes

"Men are such pigs."

Ooh, Ryouga _really_ flinched at that one.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga flinched - hard.

Really, there was no need for the guards to stick their spears _that_ close to his face. He was currently doing his best to explain to them that his friends and him were lost travelers in need of a place to stay. He really wished he could remember if Cologne had spoken Cantonese or Mandarin, now. Stupid country and its multiple dialects.

The guard on the left barked back at him harshly. The other guard quickly walked back into the village, probably going to get more things to stab them with. He wished these women wouldn't talk so fast... wait he'd caught that.

Outsider dog had such a musical ring to it the way these women said it. Okay, they were speaking Mandarin. Knowledge in hand, he tried again, this time in the right language. It seemed to have a better effect; the guard lowered her spear slightly.

The guard, her vibrant azure hair glistening in the sun, then began asking him a series of mundane questions.

What was this? The Amazon customs desk?

He heard the five colorfully clothed teens behind him begin to whisper amongst themselves.

"Man, I wish we could understand what they were sayin," whispered Cyborg.

Robin squinted in concentration. "I think they're speaking in Mandarin, but it's way too fast for me to keep up."

"Who cares, would you check out those _girls_ walking around the village? It's like a c-cup _minimum_ in this place!" drooled Beast Boy. The boy then winced as Raven slapped him across the back of the head.

"If only we had an interpreter so that we could understand their conversation," lamented Starfire.

Ryouga tried to tune out their conversation; he was busy rustling through his backpack now. He _thought_ he didn't have any fresh fruit, but one could never be certain, and the pointy metal spears were quite insistent.

A sly look crept onto Beast Boy's face. He slid over to Starfire and whispered conspiratorially. "Ya know, Star; there is one thing we could do to understand what's going on."

She looked at him innocently. "What would that be?"

He elbowed her and winked suggestively. "You could always do the same thing you did to Robin when you learned English. I bet Ryouga knows a _whole lot_ of languages." His voice was _laced_ with innuendo, so much that even Starfire picked up on it.

Apparently, he wasn't whispering quietly enough.

Ryouga felt Robin's aura heat up to furious proportions. Curious as to what could have possibly caused the spike, he turned back to see what was happening.

For some reason, Starfire was blushing brightly, her face buried in her hands. Cyborg, in stark contrast, was trying to contain an explosive bout of laughter but was failing miserably. Raven and Robin had simply settled for glaring daggers at Beast Boy. Whatever the shape shifter had suggested, neither of them seemed very happy about the idea.

"I don't think that would be appropriate, Beast Boy." Raven's voice possessed that icy calm that any male instinctively knew meant she was anything but icy, or calm.

Ryouga edged slightly closer to the spears, he felt somehow safer around them.

"Well, well, for what reason does the Eternally Lost Boy grace our modest village with his presence? And such interesting people you have with you, Ryouga."

The raspy, yet extremely familiar voice drew his attention back to the village gates. Surprise driving him, Ryouga spun around, not quite believing his ears. His eyes nearly bugged out at the sight that greeted him - there, perched carefully on her ancient staff as if all were right in the world, was-

" _Elder Cologne_ , what are _you_ doing here?" he asked incredulously.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Foolish boy, this is my home, why wouldn't I be here?" Cologne felt the desire to bash the fool boy's head with her cane but decided it would be more interesting to learn about his new friends first. New faces almost always promised new stories. And these were some of the most unusual faces she had seen as far back as her memory served her.

Ryouga seemed to be considering her statement. Always a little slow that one, still he did have good potential.

"You know what I mean, Granny, why aren't you in Nerima helping Shampoo to marry Ranma?" he asked.

A logical enough question, she supposed.

"Some tribal business required my attention is all. That and I was getting a little tired of the childish antics that abound in Nerima. I thought a little vacation wouldn't hurt." She turned a large owlish eye to him and his companions. "Of course, it seems that not two days after I leave the madness, the madness follows me home." She chuckled good naturedly.

The lost boy rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He was so easy to tease sometimes. The five children that were following him around seemed completely lost, however.

Appropriate, considering whom they were with, really.

' _Oops_.' They were still speaking Chinese; these children looked like they might be American. On second thought, only two of them looked like they might be American. The other three refused to slide into any of the cultural characteristics she knew. That was interesting in and of itself.

She hid an ancient smile. Yes, it seemed Ryouga had managed to stumble upon something remarkably interesting here. Surprises were more valuable than gold when one had lived as long as she.

She switched to English and began speaking fluently. "Well, boy, are you going to introduce your traveling companions or not?"

The lost boy changed languages flawlessly as well; a useful talent indeed, one her future son-in-law could use. "Of course, Granny, but I don't suppose you could find us some place a little more comfortable than out here at spear point?" requested the fanged child.

"Hohoho, cheeky today aren't we, boy? Come to think of it, I haven't seen you around Nerima for the last several weeks myself. Perhaps you have some interesting stories of your own, as well as interesting company?"

She absently waved away the remaining guard. The young woman scurried away as fast as her feet could carry her. She could see the five children behind Ryouga nearly melt with relief that they had found someone that could speak their language.

The ancient elder then turned and started bouncing in the direction of her home near the heart of the village.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things were going better than he had hoped. Robin gazed around, taking in the village that now surrounded him. Not only had they found a place to stay, somehow their impromptu guide had stumbled across someone he knew. Someone important as well, judging by the guard's reaction. Some good luck there.

The people of the village were deeply involved in various tasks all around them. Some people were transporting goods, some herding animals. He noticed some men cooking over open fires outside of their homes.

What really drew his notice though, was the training. It seemed that every woman over ten years old and under, well, under a hundred according to Ryouga, were training.

A large area near the center of town was clear of any obstructions, save the lines and lines of women going through intricate katas. It looked to be a variant of Wu Shu, he thought, but with many other styles mixed in.

Any people that weren't working or training, they were watching said training. These people really were crazy about the Martial Arts.

Robin felt at home.

The woman they were following was unusual. She was obviously one of the elders that Ryouga had warned them about, but she was smaller than Gizmo. The way she was bouncing around on her staff like, though, it would have been funny if not for the absolute balance and control he knew it would take to accomplish. And she didn't even look like she was thinking about it. In fact, she was holding a conversation with Ryouga even as she led them to a larger two story building a few meters away from the training area.

They finally arrived at the aforementioned domicile.

"Alright, line up so I can get a good look at you lot," ordered the shrunken old crone.

Robin was about to balk at being ordered around but noticed everyone else had already jumped into line beside him. Well she did have a forceful voice for such an old lass.

The dull ' _thunk_ ' of wood colliding with wood came from his left side.

"Not _you_ , idiot!"

To said left side, Ryouga gingerly rubbed the new bump on his head as he stepped out of the line and moved to stand beside the old lady. Grumbling all the way.

' _Wow_.' He hadn't even seen the cane move. Granny's got _game_.

The old woman then moved to stand, err, balance in front of him. She then glared at Ryouga.

"Well, introduce your friends, boy!" she demanded of him.

Ryouga grumbled again, somewhat good naturedly.

"This is Robin, he's the leader of the Teen Titans."

To the point, that was certain.

"Robin, everyone, this is Elder Cologne, Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku."

_Matriarch_? Ryouga _did_ have friends in high places here. He heard various gasps from his friends as well.

Cologne pinned him with a critical gaze, then poked him several times with her staff.

"Hmm, you seem to have a little training in the Art, boy. A little underdeveloped, but I see some potential in you," she critiqued.

' _What_? A _little_ training?' He'd trained under one of the greatest fighters on the planet for years and she just dismisses him like that?

He must not have been hiding his annoyance very well as Cologne laughed.

"Calm down, boy, we don't want your face sticking that way," she joked. "What I meant to say, is that you seem to be a particularly good Martial Artist, considering how late in life you must have started training. In this village we usually start training shortly after we learn to walk, so it's natural that you would be a little behind."

' _Humph_.' Not great, but he guessed that made some sense.

"Maybe a few sessions with some of our middling students might help you see what I mean?" she offered.

Robin perked up at that. Hey, that was pretty much what he wanted. He could afford to swallow his pride if it meant learning a few new tricks.

He smiled widely. "That'd be great, we're kinda stuck here for awhile as it is."

She nodded. "Yes, Ryouga here mentioned that your plane crashed. He said your large friend could fix it, so I'll send some warriors to collect it later. They could use the exercise anyway." For some reason, the ancient master laughed loudly at that last statement.

Then Cologne moved down the line to Cyborg.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' _Sweet_!'

The old lady was gonna send some people out to pick up the pieces of his baby. He didn't know what she meant about that exercise remark, though. This village looked like it was the birth ground of the super model.

No, Cyborg didn't think he would mind spending a little time here as he repaired the T-Ship.

Uh-Oh, she was looking at him now. Her eyes were piercing like- well like something really pointy. Man, he was so nervous he was starting to think like BB.

Ryouga's voice cut in.

"Granny, this is Cyborg," he finished lamely.

Ryo wasn't that good at introductions, was he?

He decided to throw in a little of the Cyborg charm before she gave him the same tongue-lashing, she gave Robbie. He bowed deeply, sweeping his arm grandly before him.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my dear lady," he started laying it on. Her chuckle sounded like the rustling of fallen leaves.

"My name is Cyborg, mechanical and technical genius, butt-kicking crime fighter and, of course, by _far_ the most handsome of all the Teen Titans, at your service." He ended with a flourish.

Starfire giggled at his theatrics while Beast Boy started protesting loudly.

"Dude, you are _so not_!"

Raven and Cologne both seemed amused, chuckling vindictively at his antics and BB's whining.

The old woman smiled conspiratorially and leaned in. "Don't tell any of the other elders, but I've been thinking of installing a satellite dish. I'm not sure I trust my great grand daughter enough to think she's actually taping all of my shows for me back in Japan," she stage whispered to him.

' _Hah_!' This old lady was _all right_.

"You got it, Granny, Cyborg can handle any of your installation and set up requirements," he boasted, flexing one of his titanium arms.

Robin shook his head in disbelief beside him.

And Cologne moved on to the next person in the line.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire bowed deeply to the woman before her.

"It is a great honor to be greeted by you, Honored Elder," she spoke respectfully.

The old woman looked at her in surprise. Apparently, she was not expecting such good manners from someone that traveled with Ryouga. Or maybe it was because she still had Ryouga's umbrella delicately draped across her shoulder.

"My name is Koriand'r, though my friends simply refer to me as Starfire," she continued politely.

Beast Boy's and Ryouga's eyes bugged out at that. Beast Boy probably because he was surprised, she was being so forthcoming and Ryouga because it was the first time, he had heard it.

A smile formed on the old lady's features.

"I do not mean to be rude to such a delightfully respectful young woman such as yourself but are you aware that you are not human?" inquired Cologne.

Starfire giggled cutely. "Of course. I am a Tamaranean and come from the planet Tamaran. I have come to this planet to learn more of your charming customs and peoples," she answered matter of factly.

Ryouga looked positively pole axed.

" _What_?" he all but yelled.

Everyone looked at him incredulously.

"Um, dude, wasn't it _kind of obvious_ with the flying around and lasers shooting from her eyes and the orange skin and everything?" asked Beast Boy.

"You mean, she's an _a-a-alien_?" stuttered the lost boy.

Starfire giggled again. "You mean to say, friend Ryouga, that you believe in demons and curses, but that you find it hard to accept that there is life outside your solar system?" She punctuated her point by floating over the lost boy, her hands clasped behind her back.

The lost boy shrugged. "Well, I've dealt with demons and curses before, aliens are a bit out of my experience."

Cologne laughed in fond amusement.

The irony was too much for the transient Tamaranean. That something as common place as dealing with alien races seemed like fantasy to Ryouga. It was too funny. Still giggling in amusement, Starfire then floated down to land before Cologne once more.

The lost boy shook off his shock quickly to let out his own bark of amused laughter. "Heh, anyway, I thought you'd really be interested in meeting Starfire, Cologne. She seems to have a lot in common with Shampoo, not to mention a killer grip." He absently rubbed his arm.

The elder looked at him pointedly.

"And what do you mean by that, boy?" she asked.

Starfire considered that for a moment. Why would Ryouga compare her to a hair care product? She chalked it up to linguistic coincidence. That seemed to happen quite often on this planet, it was so fascinating.

"I have done some research on the ancient cultures of this planet. If I recall, the Amazons were known as a warrior people. The people of Tamaran are also a warrior race, holding the art of battle in high regard," she explained.

_That_ seemed to catch the old woman's interest. " _Really_ , now? How interesting. Perhaps you and I shall have many fascinating conversations over your stay at our village?"

Starfire smiled brightly. She felt honored that the Matriarch of the village had taken such an interest in her.

Cologne moved to meet the next person in line.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy snickered quietly. He still couldn't get over the fact that Ryouga didn't believe in aliens. Man, that was funny. And the look on his face when Starfire told them, _priceless_.

He wished he'd brought a camera. For a great number of reasons. His eyes were continually sliding back to the training area. Several dozen women were lined up, going through fancy kung fu dances. His eyes glazed over slightly as he watched them moving around.

So…much... _bouncing_.

Apparently, the designer of the brassiere had never graced this out of the way village. Not that _he_ was complaining.

_Oop_ , the old lady was looking at him now.

"Hey there, Granny, you can call me Beast Boy," he started energetically.

She raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Your name is 'Beast Boy'?" she inquired.

"Heh, well, no, it's my crime fighting name. I just think it sounds cooler than my real name, so I use it more often," he explained quickly.

No need for everyone to figure out what his name was, the teasing would never end.

"And why do they call you 'Beast Boy', child?"

"Oh, that's _easy_ ," he answered happily. He flexed a skinny arm, mimicking Cyborg. "Cuz I can do _this_!"

With that he morphed into a large emerald tiger, Siberian of course, for effect.

Ryouga rolled his eyes, looked like he was used to it now. The rest of his friends didn't react at all. The old woman didn't react nearly as much as he had hoped she would, either just a slight widening of her eyes. Apparently, it just wasn't as easy to surprise hundred-year-old women as he thought. Hmm, actually it was probably for the best, what if he had given her a heart attack?

The rest of the village, on the other hand…

Men were screaming and running. The closest warriors had all grabbed their weapons and leapt to surround him and his friends. They were all yelling in Chinese, threats he supposed.

Okay, that wasn't exactly the reaction he had hoped for.

Cologne cackled out loud as she watched her fellow Amazons scurry around because of his transformation. She quickly started calming the warriors and shooing them back to practice.

Beast Boy morphed back to his elfin form, blushing, and kicking the dirt with his toes. "Sorry bout that, guess I shoulda warned ya, eh Granny?".

If she was mad at all, she hid it well. "Oh, don't worry about it, sonny. You're quite the interesting one, aren't you? I assume they wouldn't call you 'Beast' boy if you were only capable of changing into a tiger, would they?" she asked, a smile gracing her withered features. At least he thought it was a smile, who could tell really?

"Oh yeah, I can do tons of animals, and a lot bigger than that, um, but I think I'll just let you take my word for that, don't want anyone getting their pointy sticks in a bunch." he boasted to the elder Amazon.

She nodded in understanding. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for you to demonstrate your considerable talents under more controlled conditions."

He smirked. "Yeah, don't wanna get shown up by the _second_ most handsome Titan down there." He pulled down an eyelid and stuck his tongue at Cyborg. Cyborg just rolled his eyes in response.

Cologne chuckled to herself before moving to face the final person in the line.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven rolled her eyes at Beast Boy's shenanigans, again. Really, what did he expect would happen when he turned into a massive tiger in the middle of a back-water village like this?

Still, this Elder Cologne fascinated her. She was obviously a woman of great station in this village, and if what Ryouga said was true, she was also a formidable warrior in her own right. And yet she didn't act the part at all. If anything, she seemed more like an energetic grandmother playing with the children.

She was curious as to the history between Cologne and Ryouga as well, there seemed to be volumes hidden beneath the surface. He also seemed to be extremely comfortable in her presence, even though she seemed to have a penchant for smashing him across the skull with her walking stick. The dark Titan also wanted to know why she had called him the eternally lost boy.

Ryouga walked over to her side and faced the elder.

"Cologne, this is my friend, Raven. She's an incredibly powerful sorceress, unlike anyone I've ever met before," he explained.

She smiled internally. It seemed she was worthy of a decent introduction in the lost boy's eyes. Though she felt strangely like she was being introduced to his parents to see if they approved.

Cologne raised a single eyebrow sharply, regarding Ryouga after his lengthy, for him anyway, introduction of her. Apparently, the old woman decided it wasn't important and brought her attention back to Raven. The dark sorceress couldn't think of anything to say, really. Cologne just balanced there, examining her with unfocused eyes.

_Wait a moment_! That was the same expression which Ryouga had worn when he first saw her –

The staff shot out, the speed it traveled at causing it to turn into a dark brown blur as it cut through the air.

Raven scarcely even had the time to squeeze her eyes shut and look away-

The sound of wood cracking and splintering came from somewhere in front of her.

With great reluctance, Raven cracked open one eye. Standing before her, his back facing her and his arms outstretched, was Ryouga. His back was nearly brushing her nose he was so close to her. Her view was completely obstructed by the bulky green uniform he was wearing.

"What are you _doing_?" Roared the warrior at the old woman before him. His voice was nearly tearing from the raw anger and worry that it conveyed.

That was a good question, what _was_ she doing? Raven couldn't tell since Ryouga was blocking her view. She looked to the side and saw her friends; they were all in various fighting stances and looked prepared to attack at any moment.

She poked her head around Ryouga's broad shoulder to inspect the scene herself. What she saw did not instill her with great confidence.

Cologne was standing on the ground in front of Ryouga. Her staff was held out before her, angled sharply upward and stabbing directly into Ryouga's chest. Actually, _'directly into_ ' didn't seem to be the case. The end of the staff was now a ruin of splinters and large cracks ran up the length of the ancient wood. The blasted end of the staff was now resting gently upon the torn uniform covering his chest.

She idly noticed the staff was at just the right height that, if Ryouga hadn't been standing where he was, its tip would have been lodged in her throat.

She felt faint at that. She drifted forward, falling into Ryouga's back for support and holding on tight. He had just saved her life… again.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga didn't remember the last time he had felt such rage. Cologne had just tried to kill Raven for no reason. He had never moved so fast in his life getting in front of that staff. Even Ranma would have been a little envious of that speed he was sure.

He glared at the old woman, trying to combust her with his gaze alone as he awaited her answer to his question.

"Ryouga, you _fool boy_! You've brought a _demon_ into our village!" spat the old woman. Anger suffused her voice as well.

Oh... _that_.

The anger drained from him and embarrassment quickly filled the void. "Um _yeah_ , I should have known that if I had sensed it than you would have too," he muttered silently.

Starfire let out a gasp and stepped up beside him. "You believe Raven to be a demon as well?" she asked, the shock in her voice was evident.

Cologne looked at the girl confidently. "There is no _believe_ about it, girl. Your supposed friend there has demonic energy flowing through her veins, and that is _not_ my guess, it is over one hundred years of experience and three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history speaking," she explained with authority.

Starfire turned back to face him. "Raven also confided in me that when the two of you first met, that you believed her to be a demon as well and attacked her."

Ryouga nodded hesitantly. It appeared that Raven's friends hadn't known of her demonic heritage. He was starting to wonder how many people he was going to have to defend her against.

"So, you _knew_ that she was a demon and yet _still_ you brought her into our village? Ryouga, you are a bigger fool than I thought!" she accused him angrily.

Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were all moving closer, confusion painted across their faces.

Starfire seemed to be wavering between concern and confusion herself. "But if Ryouga and Cologne both recognized Raven's energy as demonic, separately and without collusion, and Cologne claims previous experience, how can they both be wrong?" Her question seemed purely rhetorical; the poor girl seemed to be speaking to herself.

Cologne decided to answer it regardless. "Your friend is a demon, girl, and must be destroyed!"

Starfire gasped in denial. Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg didn't look confused now, they were preparing to attack Cologne and… and-

" ** _No_**!" he yelled out, stopping everyone in their tracks. He glared at Cologne again. "She's not a demon, she's-"

"A half demon," the voice that came from behind him was barely audible, yet it cut through his rant like a knife.

All eyes were on Raven now.

Ryouga brushed Cologne's staff away from his chest contemptuously and moved aside so the dark teen could speak. He kept an eye on the elder for any other tricks, though.

Raven took a step forward hesitantly. She looked up at him; he offered her his best reassuring smile. It seemed to work as she then looked over to her friends. Nothing but support and love graced their faces. All the confusion and doubt that was there only moments ago was gone like it never was.

Raven seemed to take heart at this and began speaking directly to Cologne. "I am a half demon, Elder Cologne. My mother was raped by a demon and I was the result. However, my mother escaped from him and found a sanctuary where she raised me. I am nothing like my father and have always done everything in my power to oppose him. If you cannot accept me for something which I had no control over, then I will leave. But if you attack me again, know that I _will_ defend myself," she finished, a defiant look in her eye as she stared down the Matriarch of the Amazons.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne stared up into the defiant eyes of the half demon before her. Yes, her energy was indeed half human; her demonic aura was just so powerful that it masked it almost completely. Her mother raped by a demon, such a tragic tale, she deserved the sympathy of the Amazon tribe, not its scorn. Still, it explained much.

"Very well, young Raven. I formally apologize for my unseemly actions. As an apology I exempt you and all your friends from the laws of our village, you are now all my pupils and under my protection," she formally offered.

The girl seemed to deflate before her, leaning on her lovely alien friend for support. Cologne chuckled to herself, apparently there had been a bit more bluster than bite in that last speech. Still, a masterful bluff was just as worthy of praise as a perfect hand, both achieved the same result.

Ryouga and the three male Titans were ecstatic. Loudly whooping and clapping hands exuberantly. She silently raised her opinion of the lost boy a few notches in her head. He had willingly stepped in front of her staff to protect the demonic girl. If she had focused anymore chi into that strike, not even his Bakusai Tenketsu toughed hide would have stopped it.

As it was, she needed a new staff. She sighed; she had really liked that staff.

The lad named Beast Boy jumped up beside the lost boy. "Dude, _that was awesome_! You, like, just let her _stab_ you with her stick! And it _totally exploded_ when it hit you. You are a **rock,** man!" he yelled excitedly. The changeling then playfully bounced his fist off Ryouga's chest-

Instantly causing Ryouga to collapse to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Cologne chuckled malevolently this time, it looked like her staff fared better than she had thought-

Her attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of something flying through the air. She looked to the side, just in time to see the fallout of a clumsy male carrying a tripping over the lost boy's discarded umbrella, sending a bucket of water flying.

She sighed forlornly as the bucket and its content flew in the only direction they possibly could when a Jusenkyo cursed individual was in the vicinity.

At the familiar splash of water, though, her eyes widened in shock.

_'Well now, **that** was certainly new.'_


	4. Conversation By Moonlight

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma one half.

So please: Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Jusenkyo Guide enjoyed another sip of his favorite brand of tea. He dedicated himself to savoring the very last drop before letting out a sigh; that had been the last tea bag from his last shipment. And he wasn't expecting another such shipment for at least a month. There were many draw backs to living in a supposedly mythical training ground deep in the wilderness of China.

He got absolutely no cell phone service out here, either. And satellite phones were prohibitively expensive.

He let the taste of his rapidly receding tea sooth his mind. The day had been a nightmare; he hadn’t seen the like since that boy cursed by the Niuhōmanmaorennīchuan had come by to tear the place up.

Several young fools had gotten into a battle in the heart of Jusenkyo. He hadn't dared go near the fight as it raged. Whoever they were, the martial arts they used were strange and destructive, not the aesthetic sparring wandering warriors usually engaged in.

When the fighting had finally ended and he felt confident enough, he had gone out to survey the damage. It was deplorable, whole stands of bamboo smashed to pieces, dozens of divots burned into or torn from the ground.

There hadn't really been much he could do. So, he had come back to his shed and placed an order for some grass seed and some replacement bamboo. Things had to look good for the tourists after all.

A scratching at his door caught his attention.

Hmm, a visitor? Hopefully, it wasn't one of those dangerous martial artists. He looked longingly at his empty teacup, lamenting having drank the last of his beloved tea so quickly, and then rose to answer his door.

The scratching came again as he crossed the room. The sound came from low to the ground. Apparently, there was an animal at his door. But then it was not so unusual for his visitors to be animals, not considering the power of Jusenkyo.

He slowly opened the door and looked down.

"Ah, honored visitor, you have fallen into the Spring of Drowned Wombat, it is a –"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"- tragic tale of a Wombat that drowned some five hundred years ago." said the rather portly Chinese guide.

Ryouga looked up at the guide from his position close to the ground. A wombat? He wasn't even sure what that was. It didn't sound to be nearly as tasty as a piglet; however, it was by no means an improvement.

The lost wombat's temper was awfully close to its limit. He had been trying for nearly an hour to find his way back to Raven and her friends. It was pure luck that he found this hut instead. It didn't do anything to improve his mood though, the luck of finding the guide’s hut was far overshadowed by his new curse. This new form was even worse than his old curse. Though not nearly as small, it was slow, and the sun hurt his now overly sensitive eyes. If he had to guess, this new curse was nocturnal. _Nocturnal,_ damnit!

Jusenkyo had seen fit to add to the hell that was his life

He grunted to the guide as well as he could, he felt certain whatever animal this was, it wasn't common in China, so the guide would know he was a curse victim.

The guide appeared to understand his plight, stepping aside, and motioning for wombat Ryouga to enter his small hut. "Please enter, honored visitor, I shall heat some water for you." With that the older man turned and entered the tiny kitchenette and began to prepare the water.

Ryouga growled slightly to himself as he waddled to the center of the room. Waddling, he reflected, was not a good way to travel; he was starting to feel motion sickness settling in from the new and unusual sensation. He stretched out on the floor and closed his beady eyes, hoping that stillness would ease his aching stomach and head.

Several minutes later he heard a kettle begin to whistle. He then opened his eyes to see the large Jusenkyo Guide coming towards him, a kettle hanging from one hand and his other hand covered in a pile of drab green fabric. The man then placed the fabric before him, ah, it was one of the guide’s uniforms, and proceeded to pour the kettle of - thankfully not boiling - water over his furry body.

"Oh, it is _you_ , Honored visitor!" gasped the Chinese guide.

As soon as the lost boy had hands again, he dressed himself in the oversized outfit. The guide may have been close to him in height, but their waist sizes were quite another story.

"Yes, it's me again. Now I don't suppose you could help me find the people I was traveling with before I ended up in that pool, could you?" he growled in Chinese.

"Of course, it is no trouble. However, I wonder if you would like to be cured first. You ran off so fast after you were nearly cooked last time that you never asked."

Ryouga glared hotly at the guide. Leave it to the fat man to remind Ryouga of one of the many terrifying attempts to render him suitable for human consumption. "I can't imagine _why_!"

The guide backed away from the hot-headed martial artist. "Many apologies, Honored visitor. I have several samples of Jusenkyo water stored away for just such occasions. Though usually people do not think to ask."

Not that the guide appeared to offer the information up, the lost boy grumbled to himself. "Fine, give me some boy water and let me get out of here." His voice was trembling with frustration. Getting cursed again had ruined his mood, not even the prospect of a cure lifted his spirits.

Probably because of all the failed cures he and Ranma had both been subjected to before. One tended to get jaded over time, and Ryouga had never considered himself to be a particularly optimistic person to begin with.

The guide nodded and rushed over to a small chest stashed in the corner of the room. There was a large lock on the front and the entire box was covered in a thick layer of dust. Yes, the guide looked like he _really_ helped a lot of Jusenkyo's victims, the lost boy mused, his thoughts dripping with sarcasm.

The guide pulled a key from an olive-green pocket and unlocked the chest. After opening the chest, he reverently reached into the box and lifted out a wooden rack; sitting secure in the rack were several glass vials, corked and with tiny labels attached to the sides.

"YES!" the cursed boy yelled in joy. Seeing the cure before him and in his reach instantly changed his mood.

Surprised by his sudden outburst, the Guide swung to face him, the vials swinging in a fast arc through the air.

Ryouga nearly screamed; he _knew_ the vials were going to go flying, smashing everywhere, and cursing him further.

Then sighed as the rack and its vials stopped neatly before the guide.

The guide didn't look nearly as relieved as he did, however. It only took Ryouga a moment to notice why.

The fluttering movement drew his eye to the ground, just as the last of the dried out and dusty labels floated to the ground.

An anguished howl echoed through the valley.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The guide sighed and walked over to the wooden rack. Said rack was now half empty, only six vials remained. Beside the rack were the six remaining labels, hopelessly mixed up.

The guide briefly considered putting food coloring into all the pools; maybe a color-coding system would be more effective. At the very least a tourist would be less likely to jump into a spring if it was a bright orange.

They were outside his hut now. He'd be fixing the damage from the Spring of Drowned Elephant for weeks he was certain. Why had he even had that in his emergency supply to begin with? It wasn't like he had many elephants coming to Jusenkyo.

Spring of Drowned Otter, Spring of Drowned Field Mouse, Spring of Drowned Howler Monkey. The visitor had been very vocal about that curse. There had also been the Spring of Drowned Sturgeon, the boy had been unhappy after the guide had changed him back. Being a fish out of water was not nearly as fun as it sounded.

He grabbed another vial at random. There were still six possibilities. Of course, of the six only two were at all desirable. The controversial Spring of Drowned Girl water and the much-preferred Spring of Drowned Boy water.

The guide made a silent prayer and went back over to the naked boy kneeling in the grass. The boy was beet red and practically vibrating with barely repressed rage. The guide could sympathize, going through curse after curse like this must have been both embarrassing and disturbing.

He didn't dare tell the seething young man of the potential danger of the curses combining, it was exceedingly rare with most springs, but it was still a worry.

The youth's eyes were tightly closed, and his breathing was erratic and harsh.

With one last prayer, he closed his eyes and poured the vial over the lost boy's head.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga felt the tingle pass over him that signaled the curse of Jusenkyo activating. Something was different this time though.

His hands squeezed his legs tightly-

His hands!

"Honored visitor, you are very lucky indeed, we have found the water from the Spring of Drowned Boy!" cheered the Guide before him.

The wandering martial artist leapt to his feet in joy. Finally, he was cured! No more pig, or wombat, or – or whatever the heck else he changed into.

He gave a manly shout of triumph!

' _Oh, no_ ,' Dread filled his mind.

Slowly he looked down…

And cried out, his voice several octaves higher than it was moments ago.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And after that I changed back, got dressed and eventually found you." uttered the lost boy, his voice slightly squeaky.

" _Hohohoho_!" Cologne's aged cackle grated on Ryouga's nerves. "Who would have imagined! The Spring of Drowned Boy was actually the Spring of Drowned _Young_ Boy!" her laughter came again in great gales, if she had been on her staff, she likely would have fallen off.

Ryouga glared at the ancient warrior as harshly as he could. He stood before the Matriarch and the five titans, barely clad in the Guide's loaned uniform. Where once it had nearly fit, with substantial help from a belt, now it felt like he was cloaked in a circus tent.

The pants had fallen off completely, which wasn't as embarrassing as it would usually be since the heavy coat, he was wearing easily reached the ground. As it was the coat hung off his left shoulder, making him look like a child that had wandered into his father's closet. And what was worse, his bandanna hung around his neck, a vivid reminder of P-Chan.

His angry stare did not get the effect he had desired.

"You are so **adorable**!" shouted the fiery haired Tamaranean. She flew over and enveloped him in another hug. Luckily, she appeared to be feeling merciful since she did not use even close to her full strength.

He wasn't sure how he would have handled it now.

Ryouga blushed hotly, struggling to pull the coat up onto his shoulder again so it would cover him fully. However, Starfire's hugging made it all but impossible. He noticed Cyborg and Beast Boy silently snickering at his predicament.

Oh yes, he would have vengeance. Those two would rue the day they laughed at Hibiki Ryouga!

He sought out Raven and sent her an imploring look. Hopefully, she would be able to extricate him.

Unfortunately, she was talking to Robin. "He looks to be about eight years old now, give or take a year." she estimated.

The masked vigilante nodded. "Still, it's better than turning into a wombat." Robin supplied.

Ryouga fumed but had to grudgingly agree. At least he was still human and male. Though it seemed he had just turned in one set of predators for another. Starfire had lifted him off the ground and started swinging him like a rag doll, cooing and giggling over how cute he was.

"Help!" he squeaked out. This time he managed to get the violet haired girl’s attention.

He also saw Robin start to quietly snicker at his situation.

Oh well, one more person to seek revenge on wasn't that much.

"Starfire, I think Ryouga would like to change back to his normal form and get dressed, don't you?" Raven asked her cuteness intoxicated friend.

Truly, Raven was an angel; he would have to remember to do something especially nice for her in thanks for saving him from that fate worse than death.

"Now run along and get changed, Junior," she told him, patting him on the head and finally succumbing to a small fit of giggles herself.

Damn women!

Obviously more vengeance was required.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin shook his head ruefully as the rejuvenated lost boy scrambled into Cologne's home, dragging his backpack behind him, and trying desperately to keep the far too large coat from falling off completely.

As soon as the house door slammed Beast Boy and Cyborg burst into laughter. Raven and Starfire were still giggling amongst themselves.

At least Cologne seemed to have recovered her senses.

"Knock if off you two, I think Ryouga's feeling bad enough already without you two laughing at him like that," he barked at the offending male titans.

Starfire immediately stopped giggling and joined the tongue lashing. "You two should feel ashamed, laughing at our unfortunate friend so!"

Raven looked askance at her orange skinned friend. "Um Starfire, I don't exactly think your little display back their helped his self esteem any," she muttered wryly.

The Tamaranean blushed brightly and began twiddling her fingers cutely. "B-but he was simply so **cute**! I could not help myself!"

Beast Boy waved his hand dismissively. "It's no big deal, dudes! Ryo's cool, he knows we're just having some fun. We're all friends, now, it's not like he's gonna hold a grudge because we laughed at him a bit."

A loud sharp bark of laughter drew all their attention to the ancient crone.

She looked at Beast Boy in disbelief. "You are aware that Ryouga once declared a blood feud over some lost bread and literally hounded his unfortunate victim from Japan to China and back again in his quest for vengeance?" she asked pointedly.

Cyborg jumped forward. "What? A blood feud over bread? You're yankin’ our chains Granny!"

The elder shrugged her shoulders. "What can I say? He's an overly sensitive boy, especially when it comes to his curse. I wouldn't be surprised if you've all earned young Hibiki’s ire."

Robin looked to each of his friends. Beast Boy was tugging his collar nervously. Cyborg waved dismissively at Cologne's warning. Starfire looked distraught about treating the lost boy as she had. Raven remained unreadable.

He didn't really think the old woman was being serious, himself. Besides, he still wanted to get in that spar with the other martial artist. He'd ask Ryouga after he got back from changing. That'd probably help the guy get his mind off his curse.

He turned as he heard the house door open. Ryouga strode out, a teen once more and dressed in his usual clothing. An _un_ usual smile was on the lost boy's face. He stopped for a moment and stared at all the people lined up outside the house.

Robin had the distinct feeling of being stalked by a predator.

"I think I'm going to do a bit of training, does anyone want to join me?" The question seemed simple enough.

The reaction was immediate though.

" _No_!"

"Um, no thanks"

"Nothank _yougottago_ -"

His friends started vanishing like rats from a sinking ship.

Robin wasn't a coward like them, and he certainly wasn't afraid of Ryouga. Besides, he had just been planning to offer to train with the lost boy.

He matched stares with Ryouga for a moment longer.

On second though, he had arrangements to make back in Jump City, training could wait till later...

Way later.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven watched idly as her friends went their separate ways. Ryouga left for the training area while her teammates scattered into the village. Of course, that left her standing with the one person remaining.

She stared at Cologne, a little uncertainly.

"Hoho! Don't fret, girl, you're in no danger from any in this village; you are under my personal protection now," cackled the ancient woman.

Raven raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, don't be such a baby; I was simply startled by your demonic aura. You can't blame a woman for being slightly cautious, now can you?" Cologne asked, smirking widely.

"Excuse me for being a little shaken after someone tried to play pin cushion with my trachea, Elder," she replied, a bit more caustically than intended.

Cologne looked back at her; the aged martial artist’s expression was incredulous. "Are you serious, child? You were easily capable of defending yourself from my attack. Considering the amount of power I sense in you, the entire council of Elders might be hard pressed to defeat you."

Was she being serious? Raven knew she was one of the more powerful Titans, but she highly doubted she would be able to battle a dozen ancient martial arts masters to a stand still. Even Robin gave her trouble on the few occasions they were forced to fight each other.

The Amazon Matriarch seemed to sense her doubt. "You don't believe me, do you? Let me ask you this; your friend said that Ryouga attacked you when the two of you first met, why do you think he did that?"

"Obviously for the same reason you did, he believed I was a demon," Raven replied, somewhat shortly.

"Yet you are unbruised. Ryouga possesses tremendous strength; I doubt you would have escaped unscathed if he had laid a hand on you.” Cologne spent a moment to study her with unsettling intensity. “Judging by the way you flinched away from my attack, you are unused to the speed of higher tier martial artists, and while Ryouga is slower than my future son-in-law, he still possesses formidable speed."

Raven recalled the situation clearly. "He didn't attack me physically; he was preparing to use his energy attack."

Cologne nodded, letting out a grunt of confirmation. "There you have it. The Lost Boy was planning on using the Shi Shi Houkodan, or the Lion Roar Shot. It is a desperation move, fueled by his negative emotions."

She idly wondered where the Elder was going with her explanation.

"The boy did not attack you simply because you were a demon. Ryouga tends to fight in a somewhat berserk manner at times, however he never attacks those that cannot defend themselves. I believe that the reason he attacked so quickly was the same reason I did," Cologne stated ominously.

Raven felt her curiosity grow. "If not for my heritage, then why would either of you have attacked me so viciously?"

"Fear, child. When I sensed your aura, I was awed by its power. I knew instantly that you possessed the power to destroy myself and many others in the village if you so desired. I believe Ryouga sensed the same thing. Why else would he attack with his ultimate technique unless he believed he was about to die?" Cologne's voice was heavy as she conveyed her message.

"What? That makes no sense. He attacked a twelve-foot golem without flinching. He marched down into the heart of Jusenkyo to battle three super villains that usually give all the Titans combined a hard time. He did that without even giving us a chance to argue. How could he be afraid of me?" she asked fervently.

"Heh, a homunculus of stone and earth is no threat to one with Ryouga's talents. As to the rest, Jusenkyo is a peril he already knows well, and your enemies, though likely powerful, are only mortal. Like many of his foolhardy friends, Ryouga fears no man.” Cologne paused, pointing a wizened finger her way. “You, however, are much more than a mere mortal, your power is beyond the lost boy’s experience completely. Myself, I have only sensed one other being whose power overshadows you, the God-King of Phoenix Mountain. May none of us live in a time when he again rises from the ashes."

"Now you're not making any sense! I am just not that powerful!" Raven tried to explain to Cologne.

"You truly believe that your power is so limited?" she asked in disbelief.

"My powers are not **limited** , that’s the whole problem; if I don't control my powers completely, bad things happen. The only limits on my powers are the ones that I place there myself," the gothic Titan clarified emphatically.

The bucket that had doused Ryouga exploded into splinters showering the ground where it had lay.

Oh no! She was slipping again; it was far past time that she started meditating. She wished she had brought her mirror with her.

The aged Matriarch nodded in consideration. "I see; control is the key to your power. Tell me, what do you usually do to focus your mind?"

"Usually I meditate in the manner I was taught in Azerath," She answered absently.

If the old woman knew of Azerath or not, she gave no sign. "Indeed, well I happen to be something of an expert in controlling my internal energies. I know many forms of mediation and I believe you might find some of them helpful."

"I doubt your forms would be useful to someone of my unique nature," muttered the violet eyed youth.

"Bah, demonic chi is still chi, the principles are still inherently the same; these techniques would even work for your alien companion, if she were so inclined to meditations. Come, follow me." With that the old woman turned and shuffled into her home.

Raven shrugged. Why not? It could never hurt to learn a few new tricks.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy was having the time of his life. Everywhere he turned there was another group of incredibly beautiful women, just waiting there to cloud his vision. Yes, this was going to be a good vacation.

Hey now! He just got a ping off his radar. He turned to see a girl smiling at him. She looked like she was probably close to his age too.

She was cute, to boot. And her long hair was almost the same shade as his skin. Cool!

Time to show Cyborg which of the Titans was the real ladies’ man.

He walked over to the fetching young lass. "Hey there, pretty lady. I don't suppose you wanna hang out with a genuine superhero, do you?" he asked suavely. Well suavely for him at any rate.

She looked back, slightly confused.

"Um, ya know? Walk around, show me the sights, maybe go for dinner later?" he asked again.

She replied this time. Replied in Chinese; he had absolutely _no idea_ what she was saying.

 _Oh yeah_! The whole Chinese speaking thing!

How was he going to pick up any of these achingly beautiful babes if he couldn't speak the language!

Beast Boy almost felt like crying.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin stared at his communicator with growing apprehension.

"Yo, Robbie! Wazzup!" Cyborg's loud voice came from behind him.

He turned to face his friend. "We're going to be here for several weeks at least while you fix the T-Ship. So, I'm trying to arrange for someone to watch over the city while we're away."

The larger teen nodded. "That makes sense. So, how's it going man, any takers?"

Robin shook his head sadly. "I've tried almost everyone that I've ever given out communicators to. Hotspot, Aqualad, I even tried Wildebeest."

"You said _almost_ everyone, who's left to go?"

"The only one I _don't_ want to ask," Robin muttered under his breath.

Cyborg stared at him with his human eye. "Whatever, man, I'm getting ready to head out with the Girl Scout troop that Granny picked to grab the T-Ship. I wanna make sure they don't forget anything out there that I might need."

The tall titan then turned and walked off to join a growing gathering of women.

Well, at least that was one less thing he had to worry about. There was no way Cyborg would leave even the smallest circuit of his precious ship behind.

Really, and people called Robin anal.

Oh well, time to bite the bullet.

He lifted his communicator yet again. The masked titan then took a deep breath and gathered all the false enthusiasm he could.

"Hey, _Speedy_? I was wondering if you could do us a favor."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire loved everything about this village. It was so beautiful, and everyone was so full of life here. All the people were dedicated to the simple pursuit of living here, be it training, or simply doing the day to day chores.

Even the language they spoke was beautiful, so soft and flowing. She wished she could speak it herself. Then she could engage in discussions with the people she idly floated by. There was so much she wanted to learn about this place.

"Must you float everywhere you go, girl? You're worrying some of the men; they are somewhat skittish, you know," a voice rang out. It was soft and almost lyrical. Starfire turned to face the speaker.

The speaker was a tall woman, about Starfire's own height. She was gorgeous, with flowing aqua hair and soft pale skin. She wore robes of a similar style to Cologne, though much tighter fitting and infinitely more flattering. She also held an ornately carved staff with her.

"My apologies, I do not mean to frighten anyone. It is just that visiting your wonderful village has filled me with such boundless joy that I can scarcely stay on the ground," she apologized, "May I also say that your mastery of the English language is most impeccable."

The woman delicately covered her mouth with a hand as she laughed quietly. "Well it would hardly be seemly if Cologne were the only Elder to speak multiple languages. My, but you are a polite one, aren't you? You may call me Perfume; I know how you outsiders can be with pronunciation."

Starfire bowed properly. "Greetings Elder Perfume, it is an honor to speak to you. Um, however, you seem... noticeably young to be an elder such as Cologne."

Perfume laughed kindly once more. "You are too kind, dear girl. Truly I am the most recently appointed to the council. I am not nearly as experienced in the ways of the world as many of the elders, Cologne included."

Starfire was quite taken with this woman. She was beautiful and kind and wise. And it was nice to be able to speak to someone outside of Ryouga and Cologne in the village. "Elder Perfume, I have many questions concerning your lovely village, however I do not speak the regional dialect and cannot converse with many of your citizens. Perhaps you could answer my questions?" she asked politely.

"Of course, me dear, your name was Starfire correct?" the Elder asked. Starfire nodded in affirmation. "It is so rare to meet someone so genuinely interested in our ways and our people. I would be only too glad to answer your questions. Perhaps you could answer several of mine as well? You and your friends are the most interesting visitors we have had in such a long time."

"Oh yes! That would be a most glorious arrangement! Let us begin communicating in earnest now," Starfire blurted excitedly.

Perfume nodded before leading Starfire towards one of the more stately homes.

Starfire was only too excited to follow.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne was quite impressed with the darkly clad girl kneeling beside her. The youth took to her lessons like a falcon to the skies. Indeed, she seemed to have an affinity for mental exercises and puzzles, quite clever.

The Elder had been running young Raven through several different forms of meditation, each form designed to help her in varying ways. Raven had even volunteered to demonstrate her original form of meditation.

Really, repeating three short words over and over till they lose all meaning? She supposed it was a good way to clear the mind.

But where was the constructive element? It didn't accomplish anything, just kept the girl docile and emotionless.

Cologne understood why this was what Raven desired. Having her powers so tightly linked to her emotions. But it was far past time for the girl to abandon such basic and nearly pointless exercises.

She had also been slowly explaining the concept of chi and how it flowed through the body. Building a subtle framework from which Raven could work with so that she could begin to truly understand what it meant to manipulate and control her own unbridled energies.

The results so far were minor at best, but promising. Not that the elder expected even that much after only a single sitting of a scant few hours. Already the girl's fine control of her powers was being slightly refined. Cologne doubted she would get any major increases in the volume of energy she could wield for at least several months of intensive training.

But everyone knew that it wasn't the size of your power, it was how you used it.

The Hiryua Shoten Ha technique was the ultimate expression of that statement.

Cologne saw great potential in this girl. It was unfortunate the council would never consider allowing her to join the tribe. Cologne trembled at the thought of what power her bloodline would add to their slowly stagnating tribe.

Ah, but such was the stuff of dreams. Still, just because the tribe couldn't benefit from Raven’s youthful vitality didn't mean others shouldn't be able to.

She smiled a sneaky smile as she glanced at the young woman kneeling beside her.

"I think we've meditated enough for one day, girl; my old knees can't handle much more of this hard floor," she joke with the violet haired beauty.

Raven slowly opened her eyes and turned to face her. One of her eyebrows rose in question. "Your ‘old knees’ is it? I imagine you could kneel her meditating until I collapsed from dehydration and not complain, Elder," she replied, rather cheekily at that.

"I suppose that could very well be true. However, there is a time to contemplate life, but there is also a time to live it. You run along, enjoy the village for the night, we'll continue this tomorrow. I think you'll find the night sky so far from the city is quite breath taking," Cologne lectured the young hero.

Raven nodded and rose, slowly; her knees creaked slightly from the long time kneeling on the floor.

Really, floating in the air as she meditated? She'd never toughen up her legs if she did that.

The young girl nodded again, a signal that she was departing this time and moved to the door. She opened it and was just leaving when –

"Oh, and could you be a dear and go find Ryouga? I just want to make sure the young fool hasn't already wandered from the village while we were busy here," she asked slyly.

Raven nodded a third time, signaling that she would do as Cologne had asked. She slowly turned to leave and started pulling the door closed behind her.

Cologne couldn't resist a last parting shot.

"I'm sure he would appreciate the company of such a lovely young woman as well."

Even in the darkness of the hallway, she could see Ravens face burn like a torch.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven took a deep breath of the clean night air. The old woman was right about one thing, it was truly wonderful this far from civilization. The air was crisp and clear, almost rich to her city worn sense of smell. It filled her lungs and revitalized her.

She felt at peace again. Though some of Cologne's styles of meditation had seemed unusual, she had to admit they were effective. She felt balanced, calm; she hadn't even been offended at the old meddler's parting comment about the lost boy.

Slightly embarrassed, perhaps, but not annoyed. She was considering talking to the wise elder about the way she had dealt with her emotions, having split them apart to weaken them. Mostly, she just wanted to surprise the old crone again; Raven was sure that Cologne would never have heard of such a thing before.

Still, the aged Matriarch had a point. This night was far too nice to spend alone, especially since she had already achieved the desired results of her meditations, and in record time as well.

She slowly levitated from the ground and began to float through the village in search of the lost boy. The dark Titan had a rather good idea where he would be. She moved in the direction of the training ground.

Hmm, that was odd. No, she must have been seeing things. Too much clean air getting to her was all.

It had looked like Beast Boy was walking down a dimly lit street, arm in arm with a beautiful young girl with vibrant green hair that nearly matched his own.

Really, that scenario made no sense to Raven. After all, she knew Beast Boy. And how was he even talking to the girl? He knew about as much Chinese as she knew Esperanto.

Hmm, that could be the answer. If the girl had no idea what the immature changeling was saying, well, she might think he had something intelligent to say.

She chuckled to herself. Good for Beast Boy, he deserved a little happiness, especially considering what happened between him and Terra not so long ago. Just no accounting for taste was all. She smiled wryly.

Enough of the green boy, time to move on to more interesting topics.

Said topic was still where they had left him several hours ago. He had acquired a small audience as well. Several females, ranging from several years her junior to several decades her senior, now sat in a wide, scattered semi-circle around the practicing martial artist.

She noticed that Starfire was one of the girls. She was sitting next to an older, though still quite beautiful, woman. The two were in a deep discussion, rapidly speaking back and forth, occasionally laughing or giggling about whatever they were discussing.

Raven floated over to sit silently beside her friend and began to watch the lost boy as he trained. She absently noticed that the two chatterboxes sitting beside her were speaking Chinese but couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

Ryouga was moving smoothly through an intricate set of movements. What had Robin called them when he had given her basic training, kata? His movements were precise and controlled. He appeared to be fighting a small group of opponents that only he could see. He punched one attacker while blocking another. Then swept the feet out from a third while nimbly catching the attack of a fourth and redirecting their momentum against them.

His actions were so precise and his motives so clear, that Raven could almost see the combatants in her mind’s eye. She wondered if this is what it had been like when he fought Jinx and her cohorts down in the heart of Jusenkyo.

Still, something seemed slightly odd about the display. It went against everything that Cologne, and even Ryouga himself had explained about the boy's fighting style. The elder claimed that Ryouga was often a berserker in battle, attacking fiercely and recklessly, letting his anger get the better of him.

This didn't look like that at all. But once again, she couldn't bring herself to really worry about the dichotomy of his training style.

His muscles glistened just so in the moonlight.

She heard her friend's familiar giggle beside her. Slowly, regretfully, she tore her eyes from the display before her and turned to face her friend.

"We have been waiting for some time for him to remove his shirt, as males in the midst of the ‘showing off’ are so wont to do. However, despite the heat, he has neglected to do so," stated her Tamaranean teammate. She then burst into giggles.

The woman beside her continued. "He is just shy is all, though I can't imagine why. Several of the more brazen girls offered to do the same if he did first. All that that accomplished was turning the boy as red as the sunset and nearly causing him to faint," she spoke teasingly.

Raven nodded "If what Cologne has told me is true, then he's lived a very solitary life. It's not very surprising that he would be shy. Besides, I think it's nice to finally meet a boy that actually understands what the concept of modesty is."

She looked around at several of the other girls sitting around in the circle.

Which of those hussies were trying to get Ryouga undressed?

She missed the knowing glance that passed between the Tamaranean and the Elder.

Slowly the older woman stood, pretending to stretch as if she were tired. "Well it's far past my bedtime young ladies. Koriand'r, I don't believe any arrangements for your sleeping quarters have been made yet. Would you honor me by being a guest in my household for your stay here?"

Starfire also stood, glancing back at Raven, and barely suppressing a giggle. "Of course, Elder Perfume, let us adjourn for the night." With that the two ladies strolled away into the village.

She stared at their departing forms curiously. It appeared that Starfire had made a new friend, Elder Perfume; she would have to remember that.

As she turned back, she noticed the rest of the girls had begun to rise and depart. She saw the reason was that Ryouga had finally stopped training. He moved over to his backpack and retrieved a towel to wipe away the sweat from his training.

She remained seated where she was; her hood back and her cloak opened wide and invitingly. She didn't want to appear too eager to speak to him. Besides, she didn't want to be rude and interrupt what might be part of his training ritual.

The martial artist pulled a canteen from the side of his mountainous pack and drank from it greedily. Finally, he set it back down and slung the towel leisurely over his broad shoulders. With that final act he finally seemed to come back to reality and start taking in the world around him.

It only took a few moments for his eyes to catch her, only to be seized at the sight of her. The smile that bloomed on his face was quite satisfying. He moved towards her, blushing slightly, and playing with the knot of his bandanna in that strangely cute way he did when nervous.

It was oddly endearing. She motioned for him to sit beside her on the carved log where Starfire had been sitting on.

"It's good to see you again, Raven, how did your training with Granny go?"

She smiled at his words. It was nice, light banter, just as she had hoped. "It went better than I expected. Elder Cologne is incredibly wise and learned."

Ryouga relaxed visibly, apparently on a comfortable topic. "You have _no_ idea. Some of the things that she's taught Ranma and me are incredible. She was the one that taught me the Bakusai Tenketsu."

She nodded. "Indeed, she actually told me a few stories about you while she was training me." The lost boys face went red and he stiffened suddenly. She reacted quickly. "Nothing too embarrassing or bad Ryouga, she seems to be a little fond of you, you know," she explained soothingly, hoping to get him back into the calm groove of the conversation.

Her tact seemed to work as the lost boy relaxed once again. "You could have fooled me, considering how many times she smashed my head into a boulder." He laughed easily now. He seemed to be genuinely concerned what she thought of him. And he apparently thought that most of the stories floating around about him were inherently bad.

"Yes, well she said at first she did that for the training, but that eventually she just wanted to find out whether your head was actually harder than the boulders," she joked lightly, trying to gauge how sensitive he was and how much she could tease him before he got angry with her.

He seemed to think about her comment for a moment, but finally decided she didn't mean any harm by it and laughed with her. It would be an interesting challenge getting the lost boy to come out from his thick shell of self doubt and bitterness, but she believed it would be worth the effort.

Cologne had explained several of Ryouga's problems to her. His curse, which was obvious, and many of the hardships it had caused him. From nearly being cooked, to being cruelly laughed at by some of the people that knew about it. She could see how someone already as sensitive as the lost boy would take it so hard.

What she hadn't known about before was Ryouga's directional difficulty. Cologne made her swear that she wouldn't tell Ryouga that the Elder had told her about it. She had known that he was lost in the jungle, all the Titans had. But to find out that that was how Ryouga spent most of his life, alone in the wilderness? It was a hard concept to come to terms with. And then to find that even Ryouga's closest friends would tease him about it from time to time? That seemed like kicking a small puppy after it had caught a cold.

Cologne had even admitted that she, herself, was guilty of taking the lost boys overly sensitive nature for granted from time to time.

Raven was determined to show him that there were people in the world that would treat him like a human being and not mock him for weaknesses that were beyond his control. She slid infinitesimally closer to the lost boy.

She noticed she had been staring into the dark sky intently for several minutes now, and that her companion was doing the same. He either didn't notice or didn't mind her small movement. It was a rather comfortable silence. The kind she only rarely enjoyed with Starfire on the few occasions that they meditated together.

The gothic Titan was certain that the wandering martial artist was an excellent listener, but still, someone needed to talk now. She was sure that the boy was still slightly sore about their reactions to his curse earlier. She had felt a little bad for teasing him after Cologne had told her about the abuse his curse had garnered for him in the past.

"You were training for a long time, Ryouga." She decided to start slowly.

He nodded absently. "I do that sometimes when I have a lot on my mind or when I'm alone, which is a lot of the time."

"I can imagine that you have much to think about; quite a lot has happened in the past few days hasn't it?"

He nodded again, tracing constellations in the stars with his eyes. "I guess I've been thinking about my new curse, it's a lot to take in. Did Cologne tell you what I used to turn into?"

She shook her head. "Not really, she did mention that you had several close encounters with would be chefs though, but that could be a large number of animals across Asia."

He chuckled mirthlessly at that. "I used to transform into a little black piglet whenever I was splashed with cold water. It was like everything I was, was just washed away. My hands, my ability to speak, all of my years of training and fighting, all gone."

She decided to tease him again, lightly, to try to lighten his mood. "I suppose trading your skills and strength for cuteness and edibility isn't really a fair exchange."

The martial artist stared at her for another moment, trying to determine if she was insulting him or not. Once again, he granted her the benefit of the doubt. He shook his head wryly. "No, I suppose not, though if you had said that a few days ago I probably would have flown off the handle. But now, I don’t know, I guess this new curse isn't as bad, I mean at least I'm still human."

That was heartening, but still, she decided not to try any more teasing; there was no need to push too far, too fast. "But you're probably still mad about how we reacted when we found out aren't you?"

"Of course, I am!" he started loudly, but then caught himself. "I mean, it's not like it's the worst that's happened to me when people have found out about my curse, not by a long shot. But still, Beast Boy and Cyborg were laughing at me so much. And Robin was laughing too, even if not as much. Starfire, well I guess I don't really blame her, she kind of reminds me of Kasumi too much to really get mad at her."

Raven was going to have to ask who this Kasumi was that he held in such high regard.

She noticed one person missing from that list.

" _And_?" she asked leadingly.

He hesitated for a moment. "And… And I guess I was a little mad at you too, about your comment, and treating me like a kid.".

"I'm sorry about that, I wasn't really thinking. I guess my emotions have been distracting me a lot over the past few days," she admitted shyly.

He nodded. "It's okay, but that's the reason I was out here training for so long. I was trying to work through my anger. I don't want to be angry with any of you; you and your friends have been too good to me for that."

She smiled. "I'm guessing it wasn't working so well. Or else you wouldn't have been out here so long?"

He returned her smile warmly. "Not really. I _was_ trying to plot terrible revenge on the four of you for your crimes, but I'm not all that great with the clever schemes. Now if Nabiki were here and I had some money-” He chuckled evilly, his smile descending into a wicked grin. “-then you four would have been in trouble."

She let her smile fall into a matching smirk. "Well, I may not be this Nabiki that you spoke of, but I have lived on the side lines of two avid pranksters. Maybe I can make up for my ‘crimes’ by helping you get a little good clean vengeance on the worst offenders?"

Oh yes, the smile that formed on his face made the stars seem dull by comparison.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg reflected on how lucky he was to be outside the village that night.

Just him, his thoughts… and twenty-five of the most gorgeous, smoking hot, beautiful women that he'd ever seen before.

His own mental _BOOYAH_ nearly deafened him.

Life was good. The women had made amazing time; he was pressed to keep up with their long, graceful strides. Some of the Amazons were his height if not even taller. They had already reached Jusenkyo before the sun had even set. They had shaved at least three hours off the time it had taken Cyborg and the others to make the opposite trek.

They had all agreed to camp **far** outside of Jusenkyo and to continue when it was light. His internal mapping systems showed they were only two hours away from the crash area, likely less, considering the amazing shape his companions were with.

"Would you like more stew, armored one?" came an almost musical voice. He silently gave a silent shout out to Granny. She had managed to convince a young scholar named Lotion join him on his journey to play translator.

The fact that she could have been on the cover of any magazine she wanted, well Cyborg just considered that to be a bonus.

"Heck yeah, Lotion, this stuff is da bomb!" he cheered excitedly, "Oh, and call me Cyborg, please, ‘armored one’ is way too stuffy for me."

She looked at him for a moment, a look of confusion on her face. "You believe the stew is a… bomb?" she asked slowly.

D'oh! She studied English, not slang. He'd have to pull back on the lingo and hope he didn't confuse her more. "Heh, um, I meant to say that the stew is delicious and that I would love some more."

This time she smiled brightly, her platinum blonde hair reflecting the moonlight nicely. She smoothly left to fetch him another bowl, and he tried his utmost not to admire the view too much as she left.

He felt the need to act the gentleman here. Considering that there were twenty-four **other** women here, each probably watching his every move and ready to rat him out for any lewd behavior, well yeah, he wanted to be on his best behavior.

Cyborg started to wonder if the repairs to the T-Ship weren't going to take a lot longer than he first thought.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx hesitantly walked down the landed ship’s ramp. She descended slowly to the hard metallic-orange floor of the hanger and looked around cautiously. Behind her an orangutan carrying a small turtle traversed the ramp and came to stand beside her.

Alright, so far so good. They were in the clear for now, maybe, if she got these two to the washroom and changed back, they could cook up some elaborate story about the springs being a hoax. She slowly started moving toward the hangar door, measuring each step carefully. The primate followed her slowly, seeming to mirror her trepidation.

She let out a small sigh; she was almost to the door.

Suddenly a dark shape rose from the metal floor, appearing in the center of one of the countless hexagons that made up the interior of the complex. It resolved itself into the silent visage of her classmate Kid Wicked… or however he spelt it; she didn't really hang out with him much.

He looked at her expectantly, apparently not fazed in the slightest by the orangutan or turtle in her company.

She let out another sigh.

"He's waiting for us isn't he," she didn't really ask.

A simple nod was all she received. And with that the dark youth sank back into the floor and vanished entirely. She looked back to her friends. "Looks like we're getting called into the principal's office boys, lets get you guys changed first so you can share in the yelling."

The two animals seemed strangely hesitant to regain their human forms.

Jinx scoffed at their cowardice. She then turned and left the hangar, walking unerringly towards the Headmaster's office. She heard Mammoth start to shuffle after her a moment later. He managed to catch up to her and pulled on her sleeve.

One short bathroom break and they were back underway. The three of them walked in utter silence as they marched down the veritable death’s row that was the final stretch of hallway before the Headmaster's office.

There wasn't really any point in trying to lie to the Headmaster, he would know instantly and then their inevitable punishment would only be that much worst.

Jinx still didn't know how she was going to explain that they had somehow **lost** Cinderblock. A quick fly-by of where the Titans had landed showed only a field of rubble and destruction. No, she didn't like their chances at all.

The door whooshed open before them even as she raised her hand to knock.

A silly gesture, knocking, it seemed to imply that she had some control over the situation, but she knew she had none whatsoever.

"Enter, my students," came a low yet sophisticated voice from within the room.

She felt compelled to obey. Jinx found herself and her friends entering the room before she even realized what they were doing. They came to a stop before the large yellow and black desk of the Headmaster. His high-backed chair currently faced away from them.

She would have snickered if she could. Talk about your cliché over the top villain stuff. Next, he was gonna swivel around slowly and say something cornball like "You disappoint me." or something like that.

Slowly the chair swiveled to face them. The Headmaster wore his long dark robes as usual. His gray hair swept back into two points. The look on his face was one of calm and concern, but she knew that was just a veneer that would quickly change.

"You have failed me," he started simply.

The young sorceress mentally snapped her fingers, she had been so close.

The Headmaster slowly stood and started walking around his desk. Probably warming up for a good in-your-face style rant about how worthless they were and so on.

"Do you know how much it **vexes** me that my three top students should continually return to me in UTTER FAILURE, EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEND THEM OUT!" he finished, screaming loudly in their faces. She desperately wanted to wipe the little bit of spittle that had landed just under her left eye.

That was _so_ unsanitary.

The Headmaster then turned and sat on his desk, seemingly patiently. "Well, students, what do you have to say for yourselves?"

The hive witch felt the ability to speak return to her. She looked back and forth between her two friends, trying to decide who should do the talking. They both looked at her expectantly.

Sigh, fine, whatever, might as well get it over with.

"Everything was going fine. We had landed within an hour’s walking distance of the springs you had told us about. We had caught the Titans on our scanners and deployed Cinderblock just as you had planned. He must have intercepted the Titans because they didn't interfere in the mission," she explained to the Headmaster.

He looked slightly confused at this. "You mean to tell me that the Titans did **not** interfere with you, and yet you **still** failed to complete the mission. Are the three of you truly that inept?" he asked, the anger starting to seep back into his voice.

She shook her head quickly. "No sir! Everything was going perfectly according to plan. Mammoth and Gizmo had just collected the last samples and we were getting ready to leave, but then… someone _else_ interfered."

One of the Headmaster's eyebrows rose in interest at this. "Some **one** interfered? Who was this person and how did they stop the three of you?" The anger was gone from his voice, he seemed more curious now.

"We-we don't really know. He was a wandering martial artist, or that's what he told us, anyway. Somehow, he knew all about Jusenkyo, that's what he called the springs; he knew how they worked and figured out that we were going to use the water for evil. Then - then he attacked us."

"A martial artist? A simple warrior defeated three highly trained meta-humans? How is that possible?" The Headmaster's question seemed to be rhetorical.

Mammoth decided to answer it. "This guy wasn't no ordinary guy! I hit this guy as hard as I could... and he took it! He just bounced back and hit my hard enough to send me flying! And that was the _most_ normal thing he did!" Mammoth nearly yelled in excitement.

Gizmo picked up where the behemoth had left off. "Then the snot blasting loser started toying around with Jinx like she was an amateur, and he was dodging my laser cannon at the **same time!** Then lover boy and Jinx there start dancing on top of the bamboo shoots like – like I don't know what!"

Mammoth jumped in again, wanting to out do his friend. "Then - and you won't _believe_ this part! - He pulls off his head band and throws it! Only he's wearin more than one, and a bunch of them go flying like buzz saws and cut up Gizmo's suit and then Splash, Gizmo went into the pool, and then –"

"ENOUGH!" yelled the Headmaster, his eyes glowing red.

He glared at them intently. "You expect me to believe this half-baked story?" His gaze stopped on Jinx herself.

She nodded slowly. "That's what happened sir, that and a few other even less believable things. However, I would say he didn't really beat us, he outmaneuvered us. He had superior knowledge of the terrain and the hazards of Jusenkyo. I think under normal conditions we could have stopped him, however because we weren't informed enough about the curses we were at a tactical disadvantage," she answered, slightly accusingly.

The Headmaster's eyebrow rose slightly. He then looked at Gizmo. "So, you fell into one of the pools. What exactly were the effects of the water? My own research was _incomplete_ as to the exact nature of this ‘Jusenkyo’ as you call it."

Gizmo let out a long pitiable sigh. "Spring of Drowned Painted Turtle, it's a tragic tale of a small painted turtle that drowned in the spring eleven hundred years ago," quoted the young super genius.

The Headmaster looked at him incredulously. "What are you talking about, boy? Spring of drowned what?"

Gizmo rolled his eyes.

"I fell into the Spring of Drowned Painted Turtle. Now whenever I come into contact with cold water, I turn into a... turtle," he mumbled the last few words, barely even audible.

The look on the Headmaster's face was priceless. He was looking at Gizmo like the diminutive criminal had totally and utterly lost whatever sanity he had once had. Jinx wished that she had had a camera with her.

Mammoth slowly raised a hand. "Um yeah, I got cursed too. I turn into an oran-orangeu-"

"Orangutan" she added helpfully.

"Yeah one of those things, when I get wet. But don't worry; we turn back to normal when you douse us with hot water."

The Headmaster's disbelieving look slid over to Mammoth and somehow it only increased.

Slowly he once again looked back to Jinx for confirmation of what he was hearing.

She solemnly nodded, barely hiding the smile that was trying to burst out.

"Sir, with all due respect, I recommend against any plan to use the Jusenkyo springs for _any_ purpose. I felt the energy in that valley; I believe that any major operation we tried to start in that area would end in catastrophy, and likely many our members getting cursed. Already two of your top students have been cursed, been given extreme vulnerabilities, I don't know if it's really worth the risk.”

He seemed to consider her words very carefully. "Very well, Jinx, I will take your advice under consideration."

That seemed a little too easy. Why wasn't he still angry?

"Now, tell me more of this wandering martial artist that embarrassed you so thoroughly."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy stretched languidly, slowly waking up to the new day. He relished the wonderfully soft bed their gracious host had generously provided. He'd slept like the dead last night; he couldn't even remember the last time he had slept so soundly.

And who could blame him after such an amazing night. He had been up till only God knew when, walking, talking, and laughing with that totally cute Amazon girl.

Sure, they had no idea what each other had been saying, but that had been part of the fun. He hadn't even really cared what she was saying after awhile, he had simply enjoyed listening to her mesmerizing voice.

And he hadn't had to worry about saying anything embarrassing either. She had enjoyed listening to him as well, and when one of them had laughed the other always joined in. He hadn't felt that comfortable around a girl since…

Beast Boy winced at the sad memory, his emotional high dulled now.

Still, that was in the past, there was no reason to let that ruin their impromptu vacation.

He fought to keep his eyes closed; the sun was burrowing through his eyelids mercilessly and telling him it was time to wake up. It sure was bright in his room; that was for sure.

And that racket! He knew that Cologne’s house was right next to the training area, but did they have to carry on like that so early in the morning? It wasn't even like they were training yet. They were just goofing off, laughing, and gossiping.

Jeez, it sounded like they were chattering away right outside his window.

Frustrated, he finally sat up, opened his eyes, and prepared to give the inconsiderate Amazons a piece of his mind.

He slowly took in his surroundings. Well, _that_ sure explained a few things.

The reason the sun was bothering him so much was because there was no longer a ceiling over his head. Someone somehow had moved his bed outside during the night. They had even taken his blanket. He was left sitting on said bed, clad only in his Cookie Monster boxers.

More specifically, someone somehow had moved his bed directly into the center of the Amazon training ground.

He blushed a deep viridian as he saw that he was surrounded completely by several dozen Amazon warriors. Some were pointing, others were giggling. But the majority were laughing at his situation.

The changeling quickly morphed into a small cat and dived under the sheets. He slowly peeked out from under the sheets to see what was happening and noticed several familiar faces.

Standing front row center was the Lost Boy; Raven was standing close to his side. Their matching smiles told the shape changer everything he needed to know. Well, he had to admit, they had gotten him good, might as well take his lumps like a man.

He stood up confidently, regaining his elfin form and hopped off the bed, leaving the sheets behind him. He strode over in their direction. "Heh, awesome prank you guys, I didn't know you two had it in you!" he cheered, hoping to show how much they impressed him, and that he was a good sport about it.

Ryouga turned to his partner in crime. "What can I say? I was inspired."

Beast Boy smiled and looked over to Raven. She simply shrugged. "What? I've lived with you and Cyborg for a few years now, I was bound to pick up something," she mused impishly.

"Dudes, that was great! But I gotta know what you two got planned for the other guys! I know I'm not the only one that laughed," he pleaded.

By now the Amazons had begun to go about their business once more. A few of them had even begun rolling the bed back to the ancient Matriarch’s home.

Raven answered him cryptically. "Don't worry; Robin's punishment is already underway. Heh, you got off easy, Beast Boy."

He stared at her confused, but his unasked question was almost immediately answered.

The loud slamming of a door swinging open and bouncing shut drew his attention to a house a few dozen meters down to road from Cologne’s.

What really threw him for a loop, though, was the person that had exited said doorway.

Streaking across the compound like nothing so much as a skin toned lightning bolt, clad only in his boxers and eye mask, was their erstwhile leader. His face was beet red and he was desperately trying to cover himself even as he flew like an arrow back to Cologne’s home.

Beast Boy nearly keeled over in laughter. "Dude! What on earth was that about?"

Raven raised a single finger. "Wait for it…" then pointed back to the door that their nearly naked comrade had bolted from.

A moment later the door opened again, and a sleepy looking Starfire floated out; she was wearing a nice set of purple silk pajamas. She slowly looked back and forth across the village.

From the distance Beast Boy's keen ears could just barely make out her confused words. "Where did you go, Robin? Is this not one of my pleasant dreams?"

Beast Boy and Ryouga collapsed together in a tangled pile of limbs and laughter. Even Raven was nearly doubled over trying to contain her mirth.

The door of Cologne's home slammed open so forcefully that it nearly came off the hinges.

Robin, now fully clothed and brandishing his Bo staff, stalked over to where they were still laying on the ground. He pointed directly at Ryouga's prone form and barked loudly.

"You! Me! In the circle. _Now_!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne sighed at all the racket. What were those infernal children up to now? Slamming doors all around the house like they owned the place.

If she had been sleeping, she would have been annoyed.

As it was, she looked out her window to see what the commotion was all about. She saw that the disturbance was coming from the fighting circle.

Ah, it appeared that the young Robin was eager for his first lesson. The colorfully clad crime fighter and the eternally lost martial artist were facing off in the center of a crowd of Amazons. They were slowly circling each other, Robin wielding a staff while Ryouga held his trusty umbrella before him.

Really, if she had been in the Titan's position, she likely would have set her sights a little lower for her first challenge match.

Still, this promised to be remarkably interesting indeed.


	5. A Little R & R

I don't own the Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Please, Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire silently hummed as she ran the fine comb through her hair, enjoying the sensation as it traveled smoothly through her locks. She would have liked it if Raven had been there to comb her long tresses for her. It was always so soothing to have another minister to your hair for you. And even though Raven always complained when Starfire asked her to do it, she always did such a wonderful job. Starfire was sure that her friend secretly enjoyed the closeness.

She could have used some soothing that morning. She was still confused as to why she had awoken to find Robin in her bed with her. She had not minded, not really. Tamaraneans were not nearly as, what was the word – uptight? - as humans when it came to physical contact. What had disturbed her had been the haste with which he had fled when he had finally realized where he was. He had seemed both angry and humiliated, which confused her further. Was being in the same bed as her truly so terrible a thing?

Surely it was a misunderstanding; Robin could not have been disgusted with her presence. Perhaps... perhaps he had not meant to be there or had been or -or... She could not decipher what had happened without understanding why it had happened.

Why had Robin been in her bed?

She was startled, dropping her comb, as the door to her room suddenly slammed open. Perfume, fully dressed, stormed in, and grabbed her arm gently. "Koriand'r, you must come with me now." The woman then began trying to pull her from the room.

Starfire was still confused, why was Perfume so excited? Starfire decided to be polite and let herself be pulled along, intrigued at what her host could want.

"Why must we leave my room?" she asked curiously.

"Your lover is going to battle with Cologne's directionless pet male!" she called back even as she pulled Starfire towards the door.

Starfire did not know whether to be embarrassed about the first comment or offended about the latter.

"Robin and I are not lovers!" she blurted out, her cheeks burning brightly.

A girl had to have her priorities.

Perfume turned and raised an eyebrow, still pulling her along. "Do you often lie with men that are not your lovers?" she asked pointedly. She then swung open and led them outside.

"He was not there when I first began my night’s repast. I do not know how he came to be there when I awoke," she replied.

She was being led to the center of the training area. A large gathering of Amazons had formed a ring around the section of the area that was designated for challenges. The elder started pushing through the younger women. Starfire decided she did not wish to answer any more of the council member's questions, so she slipped free of the older woman's grasp and rose above the crowd.

She floated close to one of the many tall posts used to light the training area at night. The large brazier that sat upon the pole was unlit, so she sat gingerly upon its metal edge. Once she had settled in, she took in the scene below her.

In the center of the mob of Amazons was a large circular patch of earth, perhaps forty feet in diameter. Standing near the center of the clearing were two familiar figures, slowly circling each other. The first figure was obviously Robin, who appeared to be terribly angry. The second figure, looking to be on the verge of laughing, was Ryouga.

"An interesting situation indeed," sounded a raspy voice from right next to her.

Letting out a loud squeal and nearly falling in shock, Starfire looked beside her to see Cologne also perched on the brazier, gazing down at the battle below.

" _How – when – what_?" she blurted out in surprise at the woman's sudden appearance at the top of the thirty-foot-tall pole.

Cologne let out rustling chuckle. "Practice, my dear. Now quiet down and let us watch the fight... such as it is one."

Starfire decided not to give the old woman the satisfaction of any more surprise on her part. "What do you mean by that, Elder?"

The Matriarch looked back at her seriously.

"Oh, you'll see soon enough, girl. Still this will be a good opportunity to gauge your friend's skills to determine how best to start his training," she replied, not answering her question, at all.

The Tamaranean was still confused by the Elder's words. She was going to inquire further as to what the old woman had meant. However, her attention was drawn back to the clearing by a cry of challenge.

The battle had begun.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin lazily spun his Bo staff as he circled the makeshift arena. Directly across from him, Ryouga mirrored his movements, also sliding sideways, keeping himself directly facing Robin at all times. He watched as the lost boy effortlessly flipped his umbrella into a reverse grip, silently awed by the grace and control the boy had over the massively heavy instrument.

The lost boy was going **down**. Robin knew that he was responsible for what happened that morning. The Titan leader was furious about the compromising position he had been placed in. And worse, what had Starfire thought? She probably thought he was some kind of pervert now. The beautiful alien would likely never speak to him after finding him, nearly naked, laying in her bed like that.

Screw it, enough psychobabble.

His cry rang across the village as he charged. His staff flashed out in a low arc to trip the offender. Ryouga, faster than he looked, leapt over the attack effortlessly. Robin had anticipated that and was already into his next move.

Even as the lost boy was still in mid-air, Robin used the momentum of his swing to spin into a powerful back kick to the boy's midsection. He heard the loud _thunk_ of his metal boot hitting Ryouga's umbrella.

The titan pushed with all the strength in his leg, hoping to unbalance his opponent.

The result was not desired or expected. He might as well have pushed against a brick wall. He used it to his advantage, though, rolling forward and gaining some ground before turning to face the lost boy once more.

He bounced slightly from one foot to another as he studied Ryouga. The fanged boy had a strange smile on his face, and his umbrella was still crossed across his torso where Robin had lashed out.

Fine then, enough preliminaries, time to get serious.

He flew forward again, launching into a flying kick. As expected, the larger fighter side stepped. Robin threw out a back handed chop even as he flew past his target. He felt the meaty contact of his hand hitting the other boy's forearm.

Quickly he wrapped his hand around the blocking limb and spun himself right back at Ryouga. Robin used the momentum of his flying kick to bring his knee smashing into the lost boy's face.

Hibiki had slipped his hand into the inch between Robin's knee and his nose and stopped his attack. He felt intense pressure as the fanged boy gripped his leg tightly and swung him to the side, sending him flying.

He flipped in midair and landed harshly, his heels digging into the dirt for several feet before he finally stopped. He quickly rushed the other martial artist's side, thrusting repeatedly with his staff as fast as his arms would allow.

The titanium Bo nearly blurred at it flew at the slightly larger boy. The sharp echo of metal on wood sounded rapidly to his ears. The other boy's right arm was nearly blurring as well, moving the vibrant red umbrella to expertly block every strike.

Suddenly the umbrella flashed out, aimed at his wrist. He nimbly ducked back out of reach, but the umbrella still hit his retreating staff. The sharp strike sent reverberations running down the length of the weapon.

The vibrations nearly distracted him; he bent backwards quickly under a lightning quick round house kick that would have struck his temple. Robin planted both hands on the ground behind him and back flipped into a kick at Ryouga's midsection.

When he landed from his back flip, he found himself alone. Somewhere between his missed kick and the scant seconds that he was upside down, his opponent had vanished.

A shadow briefly flitted across his vision. Nearly on instinct he rolled to the side and leapt to the edge of the circle.

The impact of the frighteningly strong warrior’s landing was jarring, even several feet away. He turned back to see where Ryouga had landed from his leap. He now knelt in the center of a small crater which had formed around the tip of the boy's umbrella.

He didn't want to give Ryouga the time to recover. He charged recklessly again. When he was halfway, he reared back and hurled his staff like a spear. It flew unerringly at the powerful fighter. Ryouga seemed to be a little surprised by the tact, quickly spinning to knock the projectile from the air with his umbrella.

Just like Robin wanted. Still in mid run the Titan launched a viciously quick snap kick at the lost boy's wrist. The strike hit, and with enough force to knock the weapon from the martial artist's grasp. It landed on the ground with a great _thud_.

Taking advantage of the larger boy's sudden disarming and surprise he launched into a lightning fast combo. His fists rained down on the wanderer's chest like rain. He kept it up even as his muscles began to burn from exhaustion, slowly pushing the other boy out of the recently made crater and onto unbroken ground.

Finally, arms like lead, he cut off the deadly assault and shuffled back several feet, bringing his tired arms up into a defensive position.

It looked like the fight was over though. Ryouga was crouched over, holding his chest and his head hanging low. The boy looked like he was about to collapse.

Uh oh. He hoped he hadn't hurt the other boy too badly. He moved forward to check on his opponent.

But stopped instantly. The low chuckle that emanated from the martial artist before him froze him in his tracks.

Ryouga's head slowly rose, a vindictive smile on his face. The boy lifted one of his hands just below his face, appearing to rest his chin on it nonchalantly.

"Your attacks are as gentle as the falling snow to me," he declared ominously.

The Nerimian martial artist then straightened easily and loudly cracked his knuckles.

"Now, it's my turn."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How is that possible!" the concerned Tamaranean asked her fellow audience member. The fighting was very intense, and she was concerned for Robin's welfare.

"Now, young Robin learns the true terror of the Bakusai Tenketsu," the old woman began ominously. "Because of my training, Ryouga is nearly impervious to harm. Even an exceptionally powerful martial artist such as my future son-in-law has to land a hundred blows on a single target to hurt him now.”

A hundred blows to the same point? How was such a thing possible? She had seen Robin smash training dummies to pieces with only a single blow!

"So, Robin must somehow attack Ryouga in the same place one hundred times if he is to have any hope to defeat him?" she asked, worry lacing her words.

Cologne looked at her incredulously. "What? Of course not! I said a fighter of _Ranma's_ caliber could defeat him like that. Your friend down there possesses neither the strength nor the training to _hope_ to harm the Lost Boy in his current state. With the proper training, perhaps, but not now." She shook her head sadly.

Starfire gasped loudly. Should she stop the fight before it got out of hand?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga smiled wickedly at the Titan before him. Robin was wily, that was for certain. The boy had certainly surprised him by disarming him with that nerve strike. The masked boy was very agile and had excellent technique. And Ryouga supposed that, compared to the other Titans, Robin was lightning fast as well.

But his speed was nothing compared to Ranma's. And anything less than Ranma just wasn't good enough.

Still, the vigilante teen was good, maybe even as good as Akane – though lacking her raw power - he grudgingly admitted. Robin was adaptable and quick thinking like Ranma, though he seemed to let his anger get the better of him, like Ryouga himself.

But there was no way the boy could ever beat him. As skilled and experienced as Robin was, he was missing a key component that kept him from reaching the next tier as a warrior. While he fought with his body and his mind, the young hero did not fight with his spirit; he did not yet know how to utilize his chi.

Perhaps a demonstration was in order.

With that he began to focus his own chi.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy couldn't believe what he was seeing. Robin was getting toyed around with like he was a rank amateur. The lost boy hadn't even really attacked back, just let Robin wail on him.

Wait, it looked like something was happening-

What the heck?

He turned to the violet haired girl floating next to him.

"Is it normal for people to glow like that?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time slowed to a crawl around Ryouga, while at the same time, the world seemed to truly come alive. It was as if he had been walking around in a fog. The cheering crowd seemed to be moving in slow motion, he could feel every one of them distinctly, every person's internal energy was clear to his senses.

His eyes were drawn to the wavering black mass that was Raven's energy. He could see her, cloaked in her power. It accentuated her, completed her. She was terribly beautiful in his mind’s eye; it was all he could do to tear his eyes from her form.

Beside her he saw Beast Boys wildly fluctuating chi. It was pale compared to the energy of the dark goddess beside him, but it stood out like a beacon from the rest of the women in the crowd. It held an animalistic and primal quality that seemed so appropriate to the emerald Titan.

Further out, he sensed Cologne's familiar aura, powerful and tightly controlled, she was truly a master of the art. Close to her, he could feel Starfire's aura. It burned like a green star, so wildly different from anyone else's that he had ever sensed, yet so similar as well. It was beautiful, so warm and full of life.

Before him he could sense Robin's chi. It burned with anger and determination. If only the Titan could harness it. If he could, this would have been a much more interesting fight. But that was enough time wasted.

It was time to begin.

He launched himself forward like an arrow. He moved so fast and lightly that his feet scarcely touched the ground. In the time it took him to cover the distance, Robin was still reeling in shock from his initial movement.

The Titan began to duck to the side, his reaction speed excellent, far beyond the norm.

But to Ryouga he was ponderously slow. Gently, so as not to hurt the boy, Ryouga reached out and grabbed onto Robin's shoulder. Then with a gentle nudge, launched the young hero into the air; sending him flying skyward like his namesake intended.

The lost boy tensed his legs slightly and leaped up to join him, easily clearing thirty feet with his leap. To his credit, Robin was already recovering from the throw, trying to form a semblance of defense in midair.

Ryouga's leap took him slightly higher than his prey, just as he intended. His leg stretched out and softly landed on Robin's back, then with a vicious shove, he launched the Titan back towards the ground, much faster than gravity.

Robin landed hard, but handled it well, absorbing some of the shock by landing on his hands and feet, then rolling to dissipate the rest of the force. He rolled quickly to where his staff lay and grasped it again.

Ryouga agonized as he slowly dropped to the ground; there was nothing he could do to hasten his decent. It felt like he was falling through molasses even as his opponent rolled and recovered his weapon, taking advantage of the short seconds.

Finally, his toes touched the earth below him. He quickly dug them in and launched himself at the armed boy, his feet tearing furrows in the ground from the force.

Robin turned as quickly as he could, bringing the staff up to block his charge. He lashed out with a wave of his hand; it smashed into the thin pole and snapped it cleanly in half. The power of his attack sent both halves flying from the young bird's hands.

Then the Titan crouched and leapt straight up, flying over him as he continued his reckless charge through the space the masked teen had just been in. He heard the boy land behind him and quickly spun to face him.

The young fighter then slid his foot back and suddenly kicked it forward, sending a spray of gravel into Ryouga's face. Having mastered the Breaking Point technique, he was more than used to getting dirt in the face; he ignored it completely and started forward.

It did distract him for the fraction of a second it took Robin to reach a hand behind his back, into one of the compartments on his strange belt. Not wanting to give the Titan a chance to use whatever strange technological gadget he was reaching for, Ryouga leapt to tackle him.

Robin's hand flashed out, a strange brown blur shooting from his fingers. Instinctually Ryouga caught the projectile in between his index and middle fingers, not unlike an arrow.

The sponge compressed slightly and slipped between his digits, smacking into his face wetly and spraying water everywhere as it was squeezed tightly against his skin.

Ryouga tumbled to the ground painfully in a pile of tangled clothing, his balance and concentration destroyed by his change in midair. His cheeks burned with humiliation as he tried to dig his way out of his now oversized shirt.

"Heh, looks like I win this round," he heard Robin's voice call out, mocking him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dude, that was so _not_ cool!" came Beast Boy's growl from beside her. For once she agreed with Beast Boy one hundred percent. She could already feel the lost boy's rather delicate sense of self control begin to disintegrate.

The sad part was that she wasn't really surprised. She knew how much Robin hated losing; he had already proved time and again what insane lengths he would go to for a win. However, this time she was worried that her fearless leader's drive to win may have gotten him into more trouble than he could handle.

She highly doubted that Ryouga was just going to give up now.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh dear," said Cologne apprehensively. She noticed the look her unusual neighbor leveled at her.

"What do you mean Elder, has not Robin defeated Ryouga now that he is unable to fight?" the alien girl asked her.

Cologne shook her head, strangely disappointed by the girl’s naiveté.

"Your friend is a very clever warrior. While some may question his tactics, in a true battle one can never hold back. Were this a life or death battle, I would have applauded Robin's ingenuity in fighting such a superior foe," she admitted. The boy did have potential, and an understanding of what it meant to truly fight for one's life, not just engage in pointless duels as Ranma and his friends were so wont to do.

"But Ryouga considered this to be an honorable duel, so he is unlikely to be equally impressed by your friend's intelligence. And Robin has made a grave tactical error if he believes Hibiki will surrender in light of the new situation," she explained to the young girl.

"I believe things are going to get somewhat ugly, soon."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven could sense the anger and embarrassment boiling over from both boys. It seemed Robin hadn't taken their prank nearly as well as Beast Boy had. And though Ryouga had been enjoying the fight, the activation of his curse had pushed him over the edge. She decided to stop the fight before it got out of hand; they were both getting worked up over nothing.

Boys could be such babies sometimes. It amazed her that two people she respected so much could be getting so angry over a simple sparring match.

She moved forward and prepared to use her power to separate the two overly immature warriors. But a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Raven turned to see the woman that Starfire had been speaking with the night before holding her back. Elder Perfume if she recalled.

The dark Titan raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Those two would likely be most upset with you if you interrupted their duel now. They are young and feel they have something to prove, anything less than finishing this battle now will only breed resentment and cause the situation to repeat again and again," the strangely young looking Elder explained.

Raven sighed aloud. That sounded exactly like something Robin would do. Considering how obsessed he had become over battling Slade. She shuddered at the idea of her leader becoming that intense over fighting Ryouga.

She nodded slowly. "Fine, but if I feel anyone is in danger, I **will** stop this fight."

Perfume nodded in agreement.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin smirked as he watched the bandanna wearing child finish struggling out of his clothes. The now-young boy had torn off his belt and cinched it around his waist, turning his long t-shirt into a small dress. His opponent looked angry now.

Good, now they were even.

Robin decided to end this quickly. He walked over to the seething boy and pushed on the youth's head to knock him over. Sure, it was an immature thing to do, but Ryouga was just a kid now and he didn't want to hit him or anything-

The uppercut slammed into his chin with enough force to flip him over entirely. The masked vigilante landed heavily on his chest, the wind rushing out of his lungs.

How the hell had _that_ happened! Ryouga was a kid now, how had he hit him _so hard_?

He pushed himself up to his feet. Before him, the lost boy was standing in an advanced martial stance, nearly vibrating with anger. The cursed martial artist glared at him with hatred in his eyes.

"Robin! _Prepare to die_!" With that, the tiny martial artist charged him.

Robin dodged the boy's haymaker, sliding to the side. He then drove an elbow into the angry boy's solar plexus. The strike hit home, and his opponent’s eyes bulged out in shock at the pain of the attack. Ryouga stumbled back several steps, gingerly rubbing his chest, but not losing his footing.

So, the lost boy was still strong, but he had lost a lot of speed and toughness in the change. Robin was fairly sure he could win now, if he were careful.

Apparently, Ryouga had realized the same thing, probably still shocked at feeling his attack. The wandering martial artist took a more defensive stance before moving cautiously towards Robin.

Once they were in range again, Robin flashed out a kick, hoping to use his now superior reach to wear down his opponent. Ryouga blocked the kick hard and dove in with a punch.

They went back and forth like this for at least a minute, limbs flashing almost too fast to see, a flurry of strikes, blocks, and feints, both martial artists desperately looking for an opening in their opponent's defense.

Robin broke off first and leapt into the air, sailing over the cursed boy's head.

His momentum jerked to a stop as he felt a powerful hand wrap around his ankle. He slammed painfully into the ground, lances of pain running up and down his spine. Quickly he pulled his trapped leg to his chest and kicked out as hard as he could with his free leg. Robin felt the satisfying thud of boot on flesh and heard Ryouga roll backwards.

He quickly kippup'd to his feet and charged the fallen child. Ryouga was still on his back, still rubbing his already sore chest. His eyes narrowed as he saw Robin charging him.

Suddenly the prone boy slammed both hands to his sides, digging his fingers into the ground.

" _Bakusai Tenketsu_!"

The explosion was deafening, Robin was thrown back by the dual blasts and harshly pelted with rocks and debris from the attacks. Luckily his costume and cape kept him from being too badly cut from the sharper pieces. As it was the Titan skidded to a stop near the edge of the circle.

Ryouga was already on his feet, his shirt was badly torn, and he seemed to be bleeding from several cuts now. Strange that, the lost boy hadn't even been bruised when he had blown Cinderblock apart, and that explosion was much more intense. He didn't have time to think about the situation though, the tiny martial artist was already charging again, all caution blown to the wind.

The lost boy was telegraphing his powerful punch from a mile away. Robin prepared a suitable defense and counter, when suddenly the wanderer slid like a baseball player stealing home. Ryouga's foot slammed into Robin's ankle like a bowling ball. The Titan felt the uncomfortable sensation of his bones grinding together before his feet left the ground altogether.

Robin hung in the air for a scant second, practically horizontal to the ground below him from the force of the kick. Ryouga's slide stopped, leaving him lying directly under Robin's floating form. For a fraction of a second, they faced each other as if standing before one another on solid ground.

" _An opening_!" snarled the young warrior.

Ryouga's arms both flashed forward in a double palm strike to Robin's exposed sternum. The potent attack launched Robin's form rag dolling into the air. The fanged fighter then quickly performed a back roll into a crouch and launched himself up at the masked hero's airborne form.

Robin couldn't do anything; his breath had completely deserted him, and he was disoriented from his wild flight. A hammer blow to his back sent him flying back to the ground. He retained just enough sense to roll on his landing and skidded for several feet to rest on his injured back.

His breathing was ragged, and his torso burned from the repeated and heavy impacts. A shadow darkened his vision. Robin looked up to see Ryogua standing above his head, glaring down at him.

"Do you yield?" asked the cursed youth angrily.

Robin planted both hands onto the ground beside him and swept his legs up and into Ryouga's face in a powerful double kick. The lost boy flew back several feet and landed in a heap. The Titan leader continued his roll and landed on his feet.

"What do you think?" he replied sarcastically.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven glowered at the spectacle before her. Those two idiots looked like they were trying to kill each other. This pissing contest had become totally blown out of proportion.

If either of them survived this fight she was going to kill them herself!

She reeled suddenly, clutching her forehead in pain. She felt Beast Boy grab her and steady her.

"What's wrong Raven?" he asked, concerned. Raven couldn't even answer him, the veil of negative emotions that had descended on her overwhelming her ability to speak.

She was somewhat better prepared this time, thanks to her brief training with Cologne, but it was still incredibly difficult to ward off the onslaught of emotions. The empathic Titan knew exactly what the dark wave of feeling heralded.

It was time to end this!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga was bloody, bruised and beaten. He knew he was going to lose at this rate, all because yet another person had taken advantage of his accursed curse. Even his own techniques betrayed him. The Bakusai Tenketsu had ravaged him; his young body clearly did not share the benefits of the harsh training regimen. He had nearly blacked out right there.

He was worthless as a martial artist; he was going to lose to this neophyte. And he had been humiliated in front of dozens of people, women no less. He mentally derided himself; if Ranma had been fighting he would have found a way to end the fight long ago. Ranma would never have fallen for such a simple ploy; the Titan never even would have _touched_ Ranma.

Damnit! Ranma still haunted him, even after Ryouga had sworn to leave everything of his life in Nerima behind.

He slowly rose to his feet, facing the cocky teen before him. The smile was same, he could nearly see his archrival’s face overlay the Titan's for a moment.

With out any conscious thought on his part, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. He felt the tug of gravity increase several folds, his chi pulling him inexorably down, his angst spiraling out of control.

The masked vigilante before him seemed confused, he had no idea what was about to happen. He just held his defensive pose and watched cautiously.

Ryouga felt his energy begin to condense into a sphere before him. It was fascinating, the chi moved of its own volition, as if the Lion Roar Shot were as natural as breathing.

It would be a shame to waste such eager energy.

" _Shi Shi Houkodan!"_

The sphere fired from his outstretched hands like the bullet it was named for, quickly expanding to roughly four feet in diameter. It tore a furrow in the ground as it blasted through the air towards his shocked enemy, the sound of its passage a wail of the damned.

It slammed into an impenetrable wall of inky blackness and exploded violently. Suddenly, the lost boy found himself bound in a cocoon of the same energy and lifted from the ground. He noticed that Robin was similarly caught and was being brought over to his position.

The two of them glanced at each other in confusion. What was going on? What had happened to his Shi Houkodan? What was holding them in the air like that? Robin broke off the staring contest, looking at someone in the crowd. Ryouga idly followed the other boy's line of sight.

All the emotions drained from him as if he were a sieve, all save one. He felt a tingle of fear run up his spine and Raven floated forward and away from the crowd. The Amazons closest to her began backing away quickly, trying to gain as much ground as possible. Only Beast Boy remained by her side, smiling wickedly, in full agreement with Raven's intent.

The dark titan stopped before their floating forms, anger clear on her usually delicate features.

"That. Is. Enough," she demanded, deceptively quietly.

And so, it was.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire let out a loud humph of annoyance and turned her back on the two males. She noticed that her friend Raven was doing the same. Not that the Tamaranean could blame her. Those two boys had been acting like... like zordmorking chlorbags! Friends should never battle each other with such aggression. Quite frankly she did not wish to speak to either of the males after that immature display.

She turned back for a moment. The two boys in question sat on a bench by the far wall of Cologne's living room. Shamefaced and with heads held low, they silently endured the scolding that Cologne was giving them. The old woman was lecturing Robin on the proper protocol of duels while berating Ryouga for using such a dangerous attack on someone that could not defend against it. Beast Boy wasn't helping their case much, butting in with a crude remark every few moments on their foolish actions.

The Tamaranean caught her friend Raven's gaze and motioned for the door. She was glad the boys were getting a suitable punishment for their actions but didn't feel the need to watch. Her friend seemed to agree.

Together the two of them floated out of the house, slamming the door loudly behind them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne heard the door slam and let out a happy cackle. "I thought those two would _never_ leave!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Now we can actually get down to business."

The three boys still in the room stared at her as if she had gone mad.

"Um, Granny? Weren't you just in the middle of yelling at these two guys about going totally crazy during the fight?" asked the changeling. Ah, such a simple child, yet so amusing.

"Bah! That fight was just getting interesting! I was just putting on a show for your two friends, they're far too sensitive to deal with the true rigors of the martial arts," she told the green-hued youth.

Robin looked confused. "So, you weren't really angry at Ryouga for using his chi attack on me?"

She bonked him on the head with her new staff. Sigh, it just didn't feel the same yet, she'd have to work it in more. "Don't be daft, boy, his attack possessed all of the emotionally charged chi of an eight-year-old child. Impressive as the attack looked it would have done little more than give you a few bruises!"

Really, if he was going to be so skittish over something like that, maybe he didn't deserve training. What if she decided to start slamming him into boulders?

Ryouga, back in his normal form, was still seemed a bit angry. "But he used my curse against me! That was a dishonorable tactic!"

She slammed her staff home again, it resounded nicely against the lost boy's thick skull. Ahh, it was getting better already. "Fool boy! You were toying with him like a child out there, I found it appropriate that he would return the favor.”

She relished the embarrassment on his face. Still, there was an important less to learn here. “Besides, I think it did you some good. You've become complacent with the level of protection that the Bakusai Tenketsu training has granted for you. You rely on it more than you should, and it's made you sloppy. In the short time you were in your cursed form, your fighting style changed immediately; to a more intelligent style I might add."

"Um, so you aren't really mad about anything and you don't actually care that they were tearing each other apart out there?" asked the changeling again.

She regarded him for a moment.

Then gave him a hit, if only so he didn't feel left out. Yes, this staff was getting worked in nicely with these three.

"Tearing each other apart? Don't be a fool, that fight was tame compared to many of the duels I have seen in my day. And it gave me invaluable information on how to begin my training of **both** of these talentless young males," she replied.

Ryouga jumped up, startled. "Talentless? What do you mean by that? I don't need your training!" he yelled angrily. She sat him back down with the business end of her staff.

"Foolish boy, I could spot a dozen holes in your style. I don't know what you've been doing these past several weeks, but it _hasn't_ been training. I've seen you fight much better against my future son-in-law. So, what is it, boy? Why have you been neglecting your training?" she asked pointedly.

He sniffed loudly and looked away. "I don't want to talk about it." And clammed up.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the impertinent boy. "Very well, you can keep your secrets, for now. But I won't have my future son-in-law's only decently skilled rival let his skills atrophy to nothing over some most likely foolish reason," she barked.

The lost boy seemed somewhat offended but was smart enough to hold his silence.

"Heh, cool, so you're gonna totally train my two buddies here into totally bad ass butt kickers?" asked Beast Boy.

She pinned him with a withering gaze. "I plan on training you _all_ to be competent fighters. You don't think this is an exotic resort do you? I said you were all my pupils and while you're here you **will** be receiving training," she intoned icily.

The boy shrunk back from her imposing glare, laughing nervously. "Heh, um, yeah, _training_. I'm all about _that_ , gotta love that kung fu fighting..." he blurted out warily.

Robin stood up confidently. "I'm on board, I nearly got beat up by an eight-year-old. I'll take whatever training you can give me." He smiled good naturedly at the martial artist beside him.

Ryouga grunted, but a small smile formed on his lips. "I suppose I have let myself go a bit lately and helping these guys has helped me remember that there's more to fight for than just trying to beat Ranma."

Beast Boy nearly jumped in excitement now. "Alright, we're all on board, when do we get started?"

Cologne considered that. "We'll start after lunch. Now, you two." She pointed to Robin and Ryouga, "Go out there and act as if I've broken your pathetic male spirits, girls love that. And it just might garner you enough sympathy that those two lovely ladies might actually speak to you again."

She chuckled loudly.

The two boys smiled mischievously, and then donned the most put-out expressions they could muster - not a far stretch for the lost boy - and left the building. The changeling was almost ready to follow them, so she hooked her staff over his shoulder and pulled him back.

He turned back, nervous again. "Eh heh, so what about me, Teach?"

She gazed at him owlishly.

"You and I are going to have a conversation concerning that nice young girl, Spice, that you've been seen gallivanting around with," she stated accusingly.

The poor boy gulped loudly

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven sat with her friend and the Elder which had taken a liking to the Tamaranean. They were currently lounging around a nicely made table on the second-floor balcony of the elder's luxurious home. Perfume had even provided them with some very tasty herbal tea that she couldn't identify. She was enjoying it quite a bit, not to mention the calming atmosphere away from immature boys.

"Are you sure you aren't being too hard on them? What's the outsider phrase... ‘Boys will be boys?’" asked the elder in question.

Starfire seemed to consider her question seriously. "Perhaps, however I am still disturbed that they would fight so, I have never seen Robin fight a friend so seriously."

"They nearly killed each other over a stupid prank and some laughter; those two have enough pride to choke an elephant," Raven added, somewhat bitterly. Starfire gasped slightly, probably at the thought of animal abuse.

Perfume scoffed at that. "They were hardly trying to kill each other. Like most exceptional martial artists, they simply take their training very seriously. You've likely never seen your young friend spar like that before because he's never had anyone close to his skill level to fight with before," she tried to explain to the two Titans.

Raven sighed, that did seem to make some sense; Robin rarely ever sparred with any of them, and usually went easy when he did. Very much like how Ryouga was going easy on the masked teen for the first half of the fight. Really the fight hadn't gotten serious until they had been placed on a similar plateau of ability. It wasn't until the outcome of the fight had come into question that both boys had really started to fight for it.

Starfire nodded in understanding as well. "I believe I understand. So, you are saying that Robin and Ryouga do not feel the hate for each other?" she asked, obviously concerned.

Perfume shook her head sagely. "Of course not, outsider males are often hot headed and competitive. They constantly butt heads like rams, striving for dominance, but when the dust has settled, they act like they never fought at all."

That sounded like how Beast Boy and Cyborg fought over that infernal Game Station. One moment they were trying to kill each other, the next they were playing like the best friends they were. Was this just an example of something that simple taken to a ludicrous level?

She took another sip of her tea.

Perfume nodded to herself. "It's not really just a male issue, martial artists in general tend act that way, fighting epic duels over nothing, all in the ongoing quest to perfect one's skills. I, myself, have been guilty of similar actions," she admitted, smiling wryly.

Starfire didn't look convinced. She wrung her hands in worry. "I do not know if I am comfortable with the idea of two of my friends maiming one another in constant battle."

The beautiful elder rolled her eyes. "You don't have to like it, just accept it. It's a part of who they are. You know, you seem awfully squeamish about your friend getting hurt in training considering you spend most of your time fighting psychotic villains that actually **are** intent on killing and maiming all of you," joked the Amazon.

Hmm, when she put it like that, getting mad at the two boys over a little scuffle did seem a bit trite. Of course, that didn't mean she was going to let them off easy, both of them needed to learn to control their emotions. Both had such short tempers, as well as Robin being hyper competitive and Ryouga over sensitive.

She glanced over at her titian hued friend. Well, she supposed she didn't have to worry about Robin's problems really; he was already in good hands. The only question was whether she should still attempt to help the lost boy.

She didn't really know him that well, though she had quickly become somewhat fond of him. He was possessed of many faults and she was starting to believe that he had a hidden dark side as well. He had threatened to kill Robin in the middle of the fight.

Raven shook her head ruefully. What was she thinking? She had lost track of how many times she had threatened to kill her fellow teammates in jest. What kind of hero, or even friend would she be if she turned her back on a person that truly needed a helping hand?

Besides, she still had some rather vivid images of the lost boy in mid training last night running through her head. Her cheeks tinged slightly against her will.

"Aw! Behold our comrades, they appear quite forlorn!" Starfire's outburst stunned her from her daydream. She followed her friend's line of sight and saw what the alien was talking about.

Walking down the beaten dirt path that ran between the houses, heads hung low; were Robin and Ryouga. Well, at least it appeared that Cologne's speech had had an effect, and they didn't seem to be angry with each other anymore.

"Let us go down and give the comforting to our saddened friends, Raven." cooed the Tamaranean. She then suited action to words and floated off the balcony towards the two boys.

 _Hmph_ , as if. She took another sip of the delicious tea and let out a sigh of contentment. She noticed that Perfume was giving her an expectant look.

"What?" the dark titan asked her politely.

The elder's eyes traced Starfire's path, then returned to rest on her.

"I don't **do** comforting," She enunciated clearly for her pushy hostess.

Perfume's stare became more intense, speaking volumes even as the graceful elder quietly sipped from her own fine teacup.

Raven felt the desire to be stubborn on this topic for some reason. "They deserved the scolding they got, I'm not going to go down there and undo it all by telling them that all is forgiven."

The elder's stare intensified yet again, and one of her eyebrows rose questioningly.

Raven rolled her eyes in frustration. "Fine, whatever. I'll go down and make sure they weren't **too** traumatized from the tongue lashing they received." With that she levitated from her seat and floated down to where Starfire was already crushing Robin with one of her hugs.

She didn't quite hear the elder's parting words as she left.

"Heh, all too easy."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg swept his scanners across another section of the clearing. They had been at it for pretty much the whole morning. It had surprised him how early they had arrived, these Amazons sure made good time.

They had already loaded all the relatively undamaged pods into wagons along with almost all the larger pieces of Beast Boy's central section. It was kind of unfortunate that it was BB's that got smashed, it was the lynch pin that held the others together, so it had to be fixed even if the other sections weren't too bad off.

Now he was doing careful scans of the clearing, cleverly sectioned off into quadrants. He wanted to find any small and potentially crucial pieces that might have survived the fight.

"Cyborg, I have found another component," sounded Lotion's lyrical voice. The shapely and intelligent Amazon glided over; a small piece of circuitry cradled in her hands.

She held up the circuit for his inspection. He did a quick scan with his artificial eye.

"Great job, Lotion! That circuit is still in good condition too, I'll be able to use that," he cheered enthusiastically.

Lotion graced him with another of her stunning smiles then moved off towards the wagon to place the piece with the others they had found.

Cyborg smiled goofily as she walked off. After a moment he shook his head and looked back to what he was doing. Only to find himself staring into the unimpressed face of the Amazon he had been working with just moments ago.

"Um, yeah, heh, sure is good that she found that circuit, couldn't have fixed the ship without it..." he stuttered out. No good, she was never going to believe him considering he couldn't speak her language.

Then the Amazon's face split into an impish grin. She elbowed him playfully and gave him the thumbs up signal.

Heh, these Amazons had been hanging around him too much. He smiled and returned the gesture. The girl nodded happily, and then pointed to the display on his arm.

Alright, time to get back to work. He figured they'd be there another half hour at the max, and then they could head back to the village.

He glanced over in Lotion's direction again.

Not that he was in a hurry by any means.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well," Raven began, "Did Cologne put you two in your place over your grudge match?"

Robin nodded. "Yeah, she told us exactly what she thought of our fight."

Hmm, what an odd choice of words. Well, no matter really.

"Well, now that I finally know what actually happened this morning –" Robin said, pausing to glare playfully and Ryouga and herself. "- I think we should go somewhere so I can explain exactly why I woke up in your bed this morning, alright Star?" he asked the Tamaranean, his cheeks burning slightly.

"Of course, Robin, I am never opposed to the spending of the time with you." She latched onto the shorter boy’s arm like a lamprey and all but dragged the poor vigilante off.

That of course left Raven standing there with her intended prey. It was funny how things worked out sometimes, Starfire was too predictable when it came to Robin.

"Um, so... what do we do for lunch here?" she asked uncertainly.

The lost boy smiled at her warmly. "I think I have an idea. How about a picnic?"

Hmm, how could she say no to that?

Some twenty minutes later they found themselves roughly twenty minutes away from the village. Ryouga was already beginning to build a small cooking fire and pulling various gear and supplies from his packs.

He turned and smiled. "Usually I just keep ramen packets in my back pack, but every once in awhile I like to stock up on dried and preserved supplies, so I can actually make myself a decent meal from time to time."

She chuckled wryly. "Heh I hope you didn't invite me out all this way just to impress me with cup' a soup." She offered him a good, humored smile.

"Of course not, I have more than enough ingredients here to make a fairly good stew. Not that I'm much of a cook, but I get a lot of practice being by myself so much," he explained. He then shuffled through his pack for more ingredients. After a moment he came up with two small packages.

The first package he looked at guiltily and slipped back into his pack. Interesting. The other one he snorted at and tossed away. Hmm, maybe it had expired; why else throw away an unopened package of ingredients.

Curious, she levitated the package into her hands.

"Mushrooms?" she mused aloud.

Ryouga turned to look at her, slightly embarrassed. "I... don't really eat mushrooms anymore. A friend of mine and I had a – a pretty bad experience with mushrooms once," he answered her unasked question cryptically.

Hmm, that was odd, the two packages looked similar, why keep one and toss the other. Now even more curious, she waited for Ryouga to return his attention to the cooking pot. As soon as he did, she scooted over and dug into his massive backpack.

She giggled quietly as she read the package and quickly returned it before the lost boy checked up on her again. She then shuffled back to where she had been sitting before.

"So, Ryouga, have you considered what you're going to do after all of this?" she asked idly, making conversation.

He glanced at her, obviously not understanding. "After all of what?"

She waved her hand around absently. "You know, this? After helping us out and training at the village. What do you plan to do after Cyborg has finally fixed the T-Ship and we're ready to leave?" she inquired of the young man.

He dumped a few various food stuffs into the pot. "I hadn't really thought about it that way. I suppose after you've all left, I'll just go back to my wandering, perfecting my martial arts. Pretty much what I've always done," he answered, somewhat sadly; apparently he hadn't really thought ahead to the time when they would inevitably leave.

She felt a little bad about mentioning it to him now. "That sounds like an awfully lonely existence," she blurted out, not even realizing until too late.

He nodded in a ‘sad but trying to be noble about it’ manner. "I'm used to it, besides it's not like I really have a choice in the matter. I don't have anywhere to go anymore, and it's not like I could get there if I did."

"Well, you know…," she started shyly. "There's always one place that you'll be welcome after these past days," she told him, blushing brightly. She was only glad he was watching the stew cook and couldn't see it.

"Really? Where's that?" he asked, somewhat hopefully.

She smiled. "You'll always be welcome at our Tower in Jump City if you ever make it that way. You've helped us out a lot these past few days, it's the least we could do."

He turned and smiled brightly. "Thank you, Raven, you don't know how much that means to me. I promise that I'll find my way to Jump City, no matter what it takes." His cheeks were burning brightly as well now.

They sat in comfortable silence after that, idly waiting for the stew to cook.

She didn't say anything, but she'd had better stew.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After lunch had been served and eaten, Cologne began to herd up her pupils and segregate them into the various training regimens she had planned for them.

Raven, Robin and Ryouga were the simplest to deal with. Robin, she placed with the younger girls to train. The average age of the girls in that group was from ten to twelve. So that should not only begin to teach Robin many of the basic subtleties of the Amazon martial arts, it should give him ample reason to push himself to his limits so as not to be embarrassed by a group of young girls. A win-win situation really, foisting him off on someone else and embarrassing him at the same time.

Raven she had all but locked in her private meditation room. She had left her several scrolls she had translated the night before, each one detailing the meditation techniques she had already begun teaching the girl. Cologne was certain that Raven was clever enough that she would make excellent progress without the need of a nagging old woman watching over her shoulder.

Ryouga she simply spent a solid thirty minutes or so smashing his head with her cane and pointing out how much his skills had deteriorated since last she had seen him. Of course, his skills hadn't really decreased that much, just his drive to perfect his skills. Figuring that she had properly motivated him, with a little help from the violet haired beauty that he seemed so smitten with, she had then pointed out several areas that she believed he should work on to increase his overall skill level. She was certain that he could train himself for at least the first week before he would begin to need more advanced training to increase his abilities.

That left her with the intriguing alien girl and the amusing shape changing boy. Luckily the first issue resolved itself easily. Elder Perfume offered to take young Starfire under her wing and begin training her in the basics of Amazon Wu Shu. Cologne couldn't see any problem with that; though young, Perfume was still competent enough to have ascended to the position of Elder already. And she was interested to see how far the young alien's skills would grow under the dedicated instruction of a master such as Perfume.

Strangely, that meant that of all the children present, her sole pupil would be the impish Beast Boy. Which was just as well, she had a lot of work to do with that one. And the idea of teaching Animal styles of Kung Fu to a person that could change into animals held a certain amount of perverse amusement.

That and she had to begin his training in the Chinese language as well; if he was to be wooing a fine young Amazon like Spice, well, the least he could do was speak her language.

And thus, the day’s training began.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day passed quite quickly for Cologne, though her pupil seemed to think otherwise. He was positively drained, but it had been quite an entertaining training session. She looked forward to the next several weeks.

Cologne wondered if Perfume would be willing to place a bet on whose student progressed faster over the next few weeks. Of course, Perfume seemed to have the advantage, her student being much stronger and already possessed of some unknown fighting style she couldn't identify. But Cologne had experience on her side, and she felt that the changeling's unique nature could yield some remarkably interesting results.

Bah! Oh well.

Later that evening the cybernetic Titan returned from his trip along with Lotion and the score or so of other Amazons she had sent along. The youth had almost instantly begun work on his damaged technological wonder. He had even somehow enlisted Lotion into his work effort, apparently teaching her about his science even as they worked.

She shook her head, bemused. Of course, Lotion would agree to anything if she got the chance to learn from it. Cologne had offered to begin training the large Titan male, but he had graciously refused. She grudgingly admitted that while learning the martial techniques could help him fight, the training itself would do nothing to increase his conditioning or fitness.

Not that he needed it; she had watched him lift one of the smashed ship sections off a wagon with no effort at all. The section had to have weighed several tons; few Amazons in the village possessed that level of strength these days, besides the Elders and a few prodigies like Shampoo and Mousse. The boy, Cyborg, did agree to join her tutoring sessions for Beast Boy. Though not overly interested in learning their fighting styles, he was interested in learning the language. She even enlisted Lotion to assist her in the teaching.

After the errant Titan's return, things fell into a comfortable routine for Cologne. The children would spend their days training and their nights socializing, well on those rare nights they weren't too exhausted to move at all. She had even convinced several of the Titans to tell the village tales of exciting adventures and beings of incredible power.

Eventually the first week passed, far too fast for Cologne's taste. And as predicted, Ryouga had finally regained the peak of his conditioning. It was time to move onto the next stage. Of course, she would need some help, but a perfect volunteer made herself known quite eagerly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga was standing in the middle of the field that Cologne had led him to. She had left almost immediately after, saying that she needed to gather the training equipment. Before she left, she had told him to relax and meditate while she was away.

Ryouga didn't really do meditation, though. So, he had decided to pass the time thinking of more constructive things. He had worked hard the past week, correcting all the flaws that Cologne had pointed out in his technique. Really, training was so much easier when you had a master willing to help you.

He was sure that was one of the main reasons that Ranma had always managed to stay one step ahead of him. Sure, his father was a useless old Panda, but he was still a master of the martial arts, and he trained Ranma intensely every day.

Ryouga still recalled the time when Genma had trained him, to get revenge on Ranma for stealing his pastry. The memory still caused him to burn with anger, but as terrible a person as the elder Saotome was, he had taught Ryouga well. After only a short time training, Ryouga had nearly had Ranma on the ropes, and without using any special techniques at all. If only the fat man hadn't interfered.

Oh well, that was in the past now, like most of his life. New images filled his mind now. Memories, fresh and vibrant, memories of his many late-night talks with the darkly alluring titan. A smile formed on his face unbidden. He could scarcely remember the last time he had been as happy as he had been over the past week. He wasn't sure he had been.

His musings were cut short by the sound of someone approaching. He turned to regard Cologne as she returned from the village. Strange, she didn't have any equipment with her. Stranger yet, she wasn't alone. Starfire was floating behind her, waving happily to Ryouga as she approached. She had a small sack slung over her shoulder.

He smiled and waved back. Ryouga had become quite fond of Starfire over the past week as well. She was a fascinating mix Kasumi and Shampoo as far as he could tell. She was easily the nicest, and strongest, girl he had ever met, but was still fun and entertaining to speak with. She had a love of life that he envied as well. And unlike Shampoo, she didn't totally ignore him either.

Cologne hopped up to him. "I see you meditate standing up, eh boy?" she asked sarcastically.

He waved dismissively. "I waited here, didn't I?" he responded grumpily.

She lashed out, faster than he could respond to, burying her staff in his skull for the umpteenth time that week. "You had better start clearing your mind of such angry thoughts, or this training is going to take forever."

He rubbed his head absently. "What are you talking about Granny, what training am I going through?"

Cologne turned and nodded to Starfire. Said alien squealed in joy and pulled the contents out of the bag. "I am getting to help you with your new and fascinating training!" she giggled happily. In her hands rested an ominously familiar suit.

"Oh no, you _can't_ be serious!" he nearly shouted.

She replied smugly, "Of course I am, boy!"

"You are going to learn the Hiryua Shoten Ha!"


	6. Camping Trip

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga looked at the withered old Ghoul in disbelief. "Are you crazy? I couldn't do the Hiryua Shoten Ha if my life depended on it."

Really, what was she thinking? He didn't have the mentality to even attempt the powerful technique; it relied on a state of mind that was beyond his comprehension.

Cologne glared at him. "Don't be foolish, you already know how to do the technique. You were there for the bulk of the training and I clearly explained the theory behind the move. You even experienced the technique once yourself. Are you telling me that while I was telling Ranma how to perform the move you weren't listening at all?" she asked incredulously.

He laughed nervously and backed away. She was clearly insulted at the idea that he might not have listened to her so long ago. He waved his arms to ward off her ire. "That's not what I meant, and you know it! Sure, I know the moves and how to do it and everything!"

She nodded happily. "Indeed, you should. There is only the one crucial element that you are missing. The Soul of Ice. Once you have mastered that," she motioned to herself and the floating Tamaranean, "- with our help - the move itself will be simple for you to perform."

Starfire waved again, giggling happily at the thought of getting to help.

He shook his head. "No offence, Granny, but that seems like a lot of trouble to go to, to learn one technique. I mean, the Perfect version of my chi attack is more powerful and doesn't need nearly as much set up."

' _Ouch_!'

Only for her to club him over the head with her damnable staff again. He fought the urge to smash it to kindling but knew that she'd likely just do something worse to him for that.

"Your chi blast is impressive, but in no way does it measure up to the grace and power of the Hiryua Shoten Ha!” she lectured him, “The whirlwind formed by it is fed by the power of your foe. This makes it less taxing on yourself, while also growing more powerful as your opponent does.” 

She pointed her staff at him in an authoritative manner. “Your attack will never be any stronger than you can will it to be. Not to mention the terrible side effects of using the Shi Shi Houkodan in and of itself."

He grumbled, rubbing his abused cranium. "Fine, I get your point. And I admit it is a powerful move." He glared at her pointedly. "And at least I already know that **this** technique works on people as well."

"Hohoho! Did you really think I would teach you such a deadly maneuver, let alone to use on my future son-in-law? Though it's strange you should mention that, since, much like when I taught you the Bakusai Tenketsu, your learning of the actual Hiryua Shoten Ha maneuver itself is only the secondary benefit to this training," she chortled, somewhat confusingly.

Secondary benefit? What could possibly be more important than the attack itself? With the Bakusai Tenketsu he had received a remarkable resistance to attacks, but what was the secondary benefit of the whirlwind attack? An irresistible desire to tango?

He shrugged helplessly. "Alright, I give up, what's the point of this training then?"

She sighed sadly.

"You disappoint me, boy. The point is as obvious as your sense of direction is lacking," she joked. He grumbled angrily but waited for her to continue. "The Soul of Ice technique is the true intention of this training; teaching you to fight with a level head. You lose yourself to your anger in almost every fight. Even when you fought young Robin, a person you treat like a true friend, you lost your temper and went berserk."

"It was most worrying on my part to see the two of you fight so fiercely," added Starfire. She gazed at him sadly. He hung his head at that. Now he felt bad for making her feel bad.

The Elder continued. "You are an exceptional fighter, boy. Even losing control as you do, you are still almost a match for my Son-in-law. If you could fight with the same concentration with which you train, the gap between the two of you might vanish completely."

She spoke sincerely; her words even beginning to pierce the heavy veil of his pessimism.

The Elder's words sure made sense. It took him back to his training under Genma once more. The elder Saotome's subtle influence had kept him calm and calculating during that fight. He'd never fought better, before, or since, really.

A sudden shudder ran up his spine. He just recalled what the Soul of Ice training had entailed for Ranma. He looked over to the giddy Starfire.

"So, you two are going to be embarrassing me until I can control myself in a fight like Genma did with Ranma?" he asked nervously. The lost boy wasn't quite as sure about this anymore, he didn't like being embarrassed. Really, it happened often enough on its own, he didn't need any help in that department.

Cologne's face took on a sinister cast. "Oh no, boy. Such simple techniques worked for Ranma, but for _you_ we are going to need to go to _far_ more extreme depths."

She paused ominously.

"We are going to make you _angry_."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy was sweating from the exertion. Cologne had devised a new form of torture before she had mysteriously vanished, taking the lost boy and the alien girl with her. Every muscle in his body was burning, every nerve was crying out in agony. It took all his will power to keep his focus on his goal.

The children jumping around on his back were **not** helping at **all**.

He had been stuck in the form of a terrible thunder lizard for nearly twenty minutes. The brachiosaurus form was one of the biggest forms he could imagine, short of his whale form, but he didn't want to crush himself under his own weight. He had never held such a huge form for such an extended period, and it was starting to take its toll.

The old woman's line of thought had been simple. Work on his concentration and his endurance at the same time by trying to stay in the largest form he could for as long as possible. It had seemed simple enough; he had worked his way from elephant to tyrannosaurus before he had finally pushed himself to something even larger.

Of course, then the children started playing on his back. What, did these kids watch the Flintstones or something? Whoever told them that it was fun to play with dinosaurs? Between the strain of holding such a massive animal and the bouncing of the munchkins on his leathery hide, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up.

Finally, his concentration lapsed. He snapped back to his fuzzy green elf body, leaving the nimble Amazon children hanging in midair. The changeling wasn't at all surprised when they all landed safely, rolling, and flipping in midair while whooping loudly. He was pretty used to what these crazy people were capable of.

He rolled over onto his back, swallowing the fresh country air in large gulps. Beast Boy couldn't even sit up after that last transformation. And yet he felt strangely good too, pushing his limits, really seeing what he could do. He wondered idly if this was how Robin felt after a particularly grueling training session.

The changeling continued to lie there, enjoying the sun, loving the clearness of the air, until a shadow cut him off from the warming rays he was bathing in. He looked up to see Spice standing over him. She was smiling cutely and holding a canteen. He smiled and waved back.

"Hello, Green Hair Girl, is too nice to see you!" he greeted. His Chinese was patchy, but he was amazed at his progress. Considering he was immersed in the culture and being drilled by a very proficient teacher; he probably shouldn't have been.

She giggled at his accent and bad grammar, and then held out a hand to help him up.

"Hey there, Beast Boy. You look tired after that display. I was really impressed." She blushed slightly as she helped him to his feet.

Spice handed him the canteen and he grabbed it eagerly, draining most of it in one long gulp. His Chinese wasn't that great, yet, but she was kind enough to speak slowly and use simple phrases for his benefit.

"Thank much for water bag!" he thanked her... well he was fairly sure he did anyway. He offered her his best smile to cover up any mistakes he might have made.

She giggled again.

"Come on, that is enough for now, let us go see how your friends are doing," she offered. She then suited word to action, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the large vacant area he had been working in.

He nodded "We go now! Is good!"

They passed Robin, in the midst of his training with the younger girls. It appeared their leader had caught up easily over the past week or so with the young ladies around him. Beast Boy couldn't resist waving cockily to the masked boy as Spice and him walked past, arm in arm.

If Robin noticed, he was either ignoring him, or was too engrossed in his training to care. Knowing his friend like he did, Beast Boy was sure it was the latter.

A few more minutes of walking brought them to the remains of the T-Ship, where Cyborg and Lotion were busily resurrecting the metal beast.

"Yo Cy, how's things going with the repairs, dude?" he asked cheerfully. Cyborg looked up from his work and walked over to greet them.

"It's goin great, BB, my babies gonna be back in the air in a week or two, tops!" replied the metallic man in nearly flawless Chinese.

"You, I hate," Beast Boy muttered in a low and embarrassed voice, his new language skills failing him again. Damn Cyborg! He **would** have nearly mastered the language in a week. The big guy was such a show-off; it wasn't fair, Lotion was giving him extra tutoring on the side.

Spice giggled at his distress.

"Don't worry, BB, you'll get it soon, you're making amazing progress really," she offered helpfully.

Behind the ship Lotion wiped her hands free of some grease and glided over to join them. "Yes, your attenuation to our language’s verbal strata is quite an accomplishment," she said, in perfect English.

Beast Boy groaned loudly. "Man! What language are you speaking _now_! I didn't understand anything you just said!" he complained loudly.

The look on the intellectual girl’s face was priceless! Cyborg and Spice were both cracking up now too! And Raven said he wasn't funny!

A new voice interrupted their little meeting. "What's this? Four little children with nothing to do but talk!" the voice was authoritative but held a trace of humor. They all turned to see the new speaker was none other than Elder Perfume.

"Well, since my own **gifted** pupil was so rudely taken from me, I believe I will have to fill _my_ time by filling _your_ time." She gazed at each of them like a hawk evaluating a group of rabbits.

Cyborg raised a hand hesitantly.

"Um, but I gotta fix our ship, and Cologne said I didn't have to train if I didn't want to," he pointed out. He sounded nearly as nervous as Beast Boy felt.

She focused her gaze on Beast Boy's titanium friend. "Well, Elder Cologne isn't here, now is she? And since the four of you seem to enjoy wasting time together, I think it only fitting that you focus your collective efforts towards improving your meager skills. Don't you agree?" She left the question hanging ominously in the air. The Elder was just daring any one of them to question her decision.

Meekly the four of them nodded in agreement. Not that they really had a choice.

Perfume smiled brightly at their nods. "Good, now follow me, we'll begin immediately!"

With that, she started walking towards the edge of the village.

 _Immediately_! He still hadn't recovered from his last training.

Beast Boy sighed loudly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven sat, meditating, encased in a cocoon of her own ebon energy. Her aura filled the entire room, encompassing every object, penetrating every crevice. She was at one with the room. She remembered some time ago telling Cyborg that when she used her powers that she placed a little of her soul into the objects she manipulated.

Now she was beginning to sense the energies that were there already. This chi energy that the Elder and the lost boy spoke of. It was startlingly like her own energy, in some ways anyway. And everything seemed to possess it as well, even if only in trace amounts. The wooden planks of the floor, the course wool of the blankets; though her eyes were tightly closed she could sense everything in the room in a way that made sight seem like a handicap.

True, this meditation had been on one of the more advanced scrolls Cologne had given her, but after glancing through them, she couldn't resist trying it out. This felt like a good first step to really gaining a new understanding and mastery over her chaotic powers.

She could feel her energies as they flowed through her body. She could feel how they interacted with the energy of the objects in the room. Slowly, hesitantly, she started to lift several of the objects at once, then more, then more, until everything that wasn't nailed down in the room was gently floating in a sea of black.

It was amazing, such fine control over so many delicate items, and simultaneously as well. Dancing to her will, the chairs, and dressers and even the combs and pictures and whatever else hung in the air, they all started to move independently of each other, a ghostly dance for her amusement.

Idly, Raven thought it probably didn't look all that impressive, considering she could just as easily lift a tractor trailer and toss it like a rag doll, but she was proud of her achievement, nonetheless.

She sat in wonder as she felt the objects in her mind's eye. Felt them float. Felt them dance. Felt... felt her leg starting to _cramp up!_

Raven desperately tried to straighten out her leg before it was – _Ouch!_ Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! She felt the muscles in her calf twist over each other and let out a short gasp as she frantically started forcefully trying to rub the knot from her agonized limb.

A loud crash filled the room as everything fell back to the floor. Damn, she hated sitting on the floor like the old Ghoul had insisted; meditating was so much easier when she levitated. Easier on her poor legs at any rate.

With agonizing slowness, she finally worked the cramp from her leg and finally took in her surroundings once more.

She felt glad, glad that no one was around to see this.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga nearly laughed out loud. He stared at the shrunken elder and the floating alien in turn. He then pointed to Starfire in amusement. "You brought _her_ to make me angry? Heh, I think you missed your target there, even Beast Boy would have a better chance then her!"

The Tamaranean in question seemed somewhat offended, looking away in a huff.

Cologne pierced him with an intense gaze. "Starfire is here for a number of reasons, reasons that make her the **only** suitable candidate for training you.”

She gestured to Starfire, from head to toe as if she was showing off a show horse.

“First, her natural strength and toughness mean it is unlikely that you will be able to seriously hurt her while training. Second, she can fly, so even if you perform the Hiryua Shoten Ha on her, she will escape the worst of it. Thirdly, her aura is naturally hot, meaning that we don't have to track someone down that wants to kill you; not that **that** would be hard," the old woman muttered the last part in a low voice.

She then continued. "Next, I have noticed that Miss Starfire is a very likable person, and most people would never wish her harm-" Starfire beamed brightly at that, giggling happily. "-Which is why I have chosen her to be your sparring partner; you will be fighting her while I do my best to enrage you. This should help you control your temper as well."

Well, that sort of made sense. He doubted that even he would lose his temper if he were up against Starfire. “Sounds like this will be easy, when you put it like that.”

The Elder rolled her eyes. She then passed on a strange look to the Tamaranean. Starfire seemed reluctant

"Are you certain of this course of action?" she asked Cologne. The ancient warrior nodded her head sagely.

What was that all about? These two were acting so weird. He stared intently at Cologne trying to figure out where she was going with this. He stared so intently that he didn't notice Starfire until she stood right in front of him. "Um, what are you doi-

She reared back and slugged him across the jaw for all she was worth. Her fist impacted with a thunderous _crack._ He went sailing, crashed through at least two trees and dug a small furrow in the earth before he finally ground to a stop.

 _Ouch_! That had _hurt_! Cologne stood over him again, a twisted smile on her face.

"Oh yes, there was one other thing. The lovely Starfire is also powerful enough to give you a good incentive to _dodge_ her attacks when we start working on the spiral part of the training. Heh, I think we're going to have a lot of fun here my boy," she stated, still grinning evilly.

Starfire slowly raised one hand and waved her fingers in apology, she looked like she felt a bit bad for hitting him so hard. The Matriarch bounced over to her. "Now remember, this is training for you as well; you are to do your best to hit Ryouga, he is fast and skilled so it will be a good challenge for you. Hopefully, your training under Perfume will help you wipe the arrogance from the Lost Boy's mind."

The alien girl nodded solemnly. "I am sorry, friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly, it is for the advancement of both of our skills."

He rubbed his still throbbing jaw. This didn't sound nearly as funny as it did when Ranma was going through this training. Embarrassing pictures he was fairly sure he could deal with. But this?

Why did the bad things always happen to him?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg let out a quiet curse as Lotion swept his legs out from under him. He thought she was supposed to be a bookworm! He accepted her graciously offered hand and used it to pull himself to his feet. They weren't fighting, just running through drills of certain maneuvers, each person taking turns on the other.

He looked over at the other pair. Slowly he shook his head; at least Lotion wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about tossing him around as Spice seemed to be with Beast Boy. Heck, the grass stain could barely stand as it was.

Cyborg had seen the boy's earlier training. His internal chronometer had clocked him at twenty-one minutes and thirty-two seconds. Cyborg was amazed; he'd never seen BB hold a huge shape like that for so long.

He swept out his leg, knocking Lotion to her back. Unlike him though, she rolled quickly and was already up before he was even standing from the attack itself. He was glad of that; he didn’t want to hurt her.

Man! He wasn't even supposed to be here, he could hear the T-Ship beckoning him, taunting him for abandoning it in mid fix. And he had certainly enjoyed his quiet time with the tall Amazon a lot more than getting driven into the dirt by her.

He leveled a glare at the slave master that was tormenting them so. Perfume was obviously ticked at having lost her favorite playmate. Cyborg sure hoped that Granny brought her back soon so that Starfire could deal with the sadistic lady.

She noticed his glare, and BB just barely dragging himself to his feet after the last knock down. The elder seemed to relent for a moment. "Alright, you're all starting to look tired, so we'll take a break."

Beast Boy's yell of joy nearly knocked the changeling off his own feet.

" _After_ we do a set of over shoulder tosses," finished the cruel and evil Elder.

This time BB did collapse. Heck, Cyborg felt like collapsing himself.

Why did the bad stuff always happen to them?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin took a moment from his training.

He loved this place!

The titan leader resumed working out.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire managed to tag the frantically dodging boy again; her fist connected with his shoulder sending him spinning like a top till the ground stopped him. The lost boy growled loudly in frustration and seemed like he was about to jump her when the suit he wore constricted painfully and dropped him to the ground in a little bundle.

Cologne had told her that the suit reacted to the chi of the user. If the owner's aura heated up, from anger or embarrassment, it would contract tightly, binding the wearer. Truly it was a fascinating device.

"Friend Ryouga, please calm yourself, you will only further your entrapment by struggling," she called out emphatically. The Tamaranean still was not fully certain she was doing the right thing. True, the training seemed interesting, but her friend seemed to lose his temper so easily.

There was no reason for him to doubt his skills; even with her recent training there would have been no way she could have hit him in a normal fight. The only reason she had been able to hit him so often was because the spiral design he was forced to follow limited his mobility greatly.

That did not seem to make it any better to Ryouga though; he seemed to take every hit as an insult. It was almost enough to make her want to cease. And what worried her more was the fact that Cologne had not even begun her stratagem to truly anger the Japanese martial artist. He was losing his temper easily enough already.

She floated over to the angrily struggling fanged boy and gently lifted him from the ground. "Ryouga, you must control your anger, I fear you may harm yourself," she pleaded with him.

Her words finally seemed to get through to the young man. He looked her in the eyes, and she could see the anger leave them slowly.

"Sorry, Starfire, I'm working on it, it's just so hard for me," said the lost boy. Slowly the suit began to unbind, and he was able to stand under his own power again. She nodded and pulled him in for a quick hug before releasing him. The Tamaranean then floated back to the beginning of the spiral.

"Shall we begin again?" she asked him quietly. Ryouga nodded and moved back to his starting position, taking up a defensive stance.

"No, that's enough of that for now," called out Cologne's withered and raspy voice, "You're not making any progress like that.”

“Something else is obviously disrupting your concentration; when you weren't burning with anger or being pummeled into submission, you were barely paying any attention to the fight at all," she accused him, quite accurately as well as far as Starfire could tell.

She noticed that almost every time that she had landed a blow, that his eyes had been unfocused, like he was looking at something far away. It was as if he was becoming lost in his own thoughts. Possibly that was part of the reason he got so angry whenever she hit him.

"What she says is true, Ryouga, you are preoccupied with some other event perhaps?" she inquired gently. She did not want to push him if he did not want to answer her.

The emotional martial artist sat back on his haunches and grunted loudly in frustration. "It's none of your business, Cologne, so don't worry about it," he barked back grumpily. Not at her, she noticed, just at the Elder Amazon.

Well, they had tried their best-

"Not _good enough_ you halfwit of a Hibiki!" she barked back, just as grumpily.

Hey! That was _not_ a nice thing to say at all! She prepared to scold the kindly old woman quite soundly.

"This isn't the normal pit you throw yourself in. Something happened which drove you out this far into the wild, and this training doesn't have any hope of succeeding if you keep dwelling on whatever it was," Cologne continued, her voice becoming more concerned as she went on.

Starfire decided to remain silent; unburdening one’s self was especially important to one's mental health. If she could get him to confront his past, perhaps he could get past it.

The lost boy in question seemed to consider this carefully. She gave him an encouraging smile and a hopeful nod, hoping to nudge him towards explaining things to them. He finally succumbed to their scrutiny.

"I did the right thing, I guess," he began slowly, "Somehow the right thing always seems to be the dumb thing to do, though."

Starfire had no idea what the boy was talking about. However, Cologne's eyes widened in immediate recognition of what he spoke of.

"You _didn't_ ," she whispered, the shock in her voice apparent.

He nodded back sadly. "As you can imagine, she didn't take it very well. It seemed like she screamed at me forever, I don't really remember how long it was... then the slap. I felt my heart shatter into a thousand pieces when it landed." His voice was thick with emotion, his shoulders shaking with barely repressed tears.

Cologne nodded; she seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. "But why did you do it boy? Why now of all times?"

"It – I... don't know really; it just felt like it had gone on too long. I didn't want to hurt her anymore, even if she didn't know I was."

She wished she knew what he was talking about. Obviously, it was someone that he had cared about very much, someone that he had somehow hurt. That he would do whatever he did, even though it seemed like he knew it would hurt him, for that person, seemed terribly and tragically romantic to her.

She knelt beside the boy and wrapped him in a comforting hug. Cologne sat down as well. "Well, boy, I know it probably doesn't mean much now, but you did do the right thing. And that you did it yourself, instead of waiting for fate to do it for you… that took courage. I imagine my future son-in-law was rather shocked as well?"

Ryouga let out a wry chuckle at that. "Heh, once he found out why I was there, he did everything he could to talk me out of it. He knew how mad she would be, at both of us. The strange thing is, I think he was more concerned about her, and even me, than he was about what was going to happen to him." He shook his head in disbelief.

"That boy never could stand to see anyone hurt; it is one of his better traits," mused the old woman. Starfire couldn't stand it anymore. She needed to know what happened between Ryouga and this person for whom he had cared so much.

"Excuse me, but I am very confused. Could you please explain to me what you speak of?" she asked both of them, either of them, really.

The Amazon stared at the lost boy. He nodded. "Alright Starfire, but it's a _really_ long story. It all started when a guy I knew, named Ranma... _accidentally_ knocked me into one of the springs of Jusenkyo. The spring I fell into was Heituenniichuan, the Spring of Drowned Black Piglet."

Starfire listened with rapt attention.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven arched her back, trying to straighten out the stiff muscles. Sure, all that meditating was good for the soul, but her back was killing her. And she was starving too. Apparently, no one had thought to come up and get her for lunch or dinner, and she had been too wrapped up in her training to notice herself.

The dark Titan walked down the stairs to the house's living room. She discovered that she also had a slight limp to go with her aching back as she hobbled down the stairs. That's it, tomorrow she was taking off so she could go see what Ryouga was doing with his time.

The sight that greeted her at the bottom of the stairs did not inspire her, though it did explain a few things. Robin was still absent, not that that was any surprise. The two occupants that were there, however, were strewn across the two benches by the walls very much like sacks of dirt.

She was almost tempted to check if Beast Boy was still breathing. Luckily, she didn't need to, dead people didn't drool **nearly** that much. Cyborg didn't seem to be quite as bad off, but what on earth had he been doing to get in that shape? Wasn't he just fixing the T-Ship?

Raven slowly limped over to the laid-out Cyborg. "What happened to you?" she asked dryly.

His human eye opened slowly, as if he was fighting off the Grim Reaper. "R-Raven, is that you? Everything is so dark – so _cold_ ," he whispered faintly.

She rolled her eyes, talk about over dramatic. "Oh, give it up, why are you two laid out like a pair of cadavers?"

He chuckled a bit before gingerly sitting up to face her. "Perfume happened. Ever since Cologne dragged Starfire and Ryouga off into the woods, that crazy woman grabbed BB, Spice, Lotion, and me, and turned us all into her personal torture victims. She trained us from lunch time till pretty much a half hour ago; you do not **know** the suffering we endured!"

She rubbed her back again; hmm well perhaps a sore back wasn't all that bad after all. Her eyes floated over to Beast Boy. "He didn't seem to handle it too well. Not a big surprise there."

Cyborg looked at her incredulously. "Are you kiddin, Rae! BB was a machine, he was workin out all mornin on Cologne's plan, and then Madame Evil came and grabbed us all and ran us into the ground. You shoulda come outside this morning, BB held a brachiosaurus form for over twenty minutes!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Her eyes widened in shock. A form that large for that long? She'd never seen the emerald youth do something like that before. Concern and pride jockeyed for position on her features. "He really worked that hard today?" she asked quietly.

Her African American friend nodded, pride on his face as well. "You know it Raven. Heh we were both so dead when we got in, we couldn't even argue about whose turn it was to cook," he told her jokingly.

She nodded absently. Now she felt bad for belittling her friend, even if she hadn't really meant it. "How about I make us all some food? It's nearly dark out, anyway."

Beast Boy rose like a vampire from his crypt at the sound of the word food.

"Food! Where? It's not some crazy Chinese animal is it?" blurted out the young changeling in rapid fire.

Raven and Cyborg got a good laugh from his antics. She decided to raid the kitchen and see what she could make that would satisfy her unusually diverse friends’ appetites. Maybe there were some ingredients for pancakes in there somewhere.

Halfway to the kitchen she stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly she turned to face her friends.

"What do you _mean_ Cologne dragged Starfire and Ryouga out into the woods?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"- and that was when she slapped me and told me that she never wanted to see me ever again for the rest of her life," wheezed the lost boy, emotionally and physically drained by the story which had taken almost the entire afternoon and evening to tell.

Starfire could only stare in morbid fascination at this point. The story had been an emotional roller coaster, ranging from her wanting to cry for the lost boy, to wanting to kill him herself! The things he had done to that girl, Akane, were unforgivable! But the things he had done for her, they were unbelievable.

She was sure that not even Raven's most dramatic novels held a story of a boy that had loved as tragically as Ryouga had. He had explained all his feelings in fine detail, wanting her to understand the reasons for everything the boy had done. Ryouga had loved Akane so intensely; he loved her so much that he had let her go because he knew that would make her happy.

And she had never even known! Somehow this Akane had never seen his devotion to her. She also never realized that her pet pig was the cursed boy, despite all her fiancé’s hints.

Honestly, this Akane girl did not sound to be the sharpest knife in the cabinet. But Ryouga had painted her to sound like a living Goddess. Cologne had interjected a few comments from time to time, usually when the lost boy started ranting about the Ranma person, or when he started glorifying Akane.

Really, did Ryouga have no middle ground when it came to people?

"I do not approve of the fact that you used this ‘P-Chan’ form to take advantage of Akane's kindness to you," she started bluntly. He nodded in acceptance, looking more depressed than she had seen him in a while.

"However, if what Cologne and you both say is true, you only did what at the time you believed to be right, as warped as your idea may have been. As well you did not watch her change or bathe; I do not believe you to be a pervert. You even went so far as to protect her while in your cursed form, despite your weakness," she continued.

Cologne nodded silently. The lost boy looked up to meet her gaze, looking slightly hopeful.

"In the end, you did the right thing, which is all that anyone could have asked of you," she stated sympathetically.

Ryouga nodded as well. "Maybe, but that doesn't make it alright. Just because I was a little lonely didn't give me the right to hurt her like I did. And now I've lost the only person that I've ever loved. You can't even _begin_ to imagine how that feels," he droned somewhat depressingly.

Her sympathetic smile dropped a bit at that, and her mood swung back over to wanting to club him with Cologne's staff again. How presumptuous of him! She firmly grabbed his chin between her fingers and forced him to match her gaze.

"Do you truly believe that you are the only person to experience pain in their life?" she asked harshly, for her at least.

He looked into her intense eyes and could only stare dumbly.

"My own sister, whom I love unconditionally, _hates_ me with every fiber of her being. She has done... unspeakable things to me, things I cannot ever repeat. You have but lost a friend; can you imagine what it would feel like to know that your own flesh and blood detests you so? Tell me Ryouga, can you?" she inquired passionately. She could feel green tears threatening to form in her eyes from her emotional admission.

Both humans before her wore shell shocked expressions, neither one could even begin to form a coherent sentence.

"When I told you why I had come to Earth earlier, I was not totally honest with you. I did not come here because I chose to, rather I fled here to escape from an alien race that had captured me and were going to condemn me to a life of slavery on their home world. Can you know what it feels like to have your freedom taken from you, human?" she continued hotly, lost in her own pain now.

She then let go of the lost boy's chin; turning away from the two humans to hug herself.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga exchanged disbelieving glances with Cologne. How was that even possible? For someone as wonderful as Starfire to have experienced such tragedy in her life. The Amazon seemed to be at just as much of a loss as him.

She had suffered worse than Ryouga would wish upon anyone, no matter how much he hated them. Her question rang loudly in his head now. Did he really believe that he was the only one that suffered, that was lonely? It seemed so ludicrous to him now; had he really been buried so deep in his own personal problems that he didn't consider that other people might deal with the self-same problems?

And yet the beautiful alien girl before him was not angry or bitter, not bemoaning fate or cursing her own existence. Quite the opposite in fact, she embraced life, lived it to its fullest. Ryouga suddenly felt exceedingly small indeed.

He gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Starfire; I never should have said what I did. It's just that you’re so happy all the time, I never imagined you could have gone through things like that. I mean, your own sister?" He shook his head sadly.

Cologne moved before the Tamaranean and bowed deeply. "Now it is I who am honored, young one. You have shared something very private with us, and your determination to live your life rather than succumb to your personal demons, it has inspired this old woman."

Starfire turned to face both of them, giggling weakly. "You both embarrass me. It is only my hope that my examples may help you get past your own grief, friend Ryouga."

The lost boy shook his head ruefully. "Starfire, I think things will go a lot better now, I can't tell either of you how much better I feel after getting all that stuff off my chest."

He meant it too, he was only glad he had had someone as understanding as Starfire there to unburden himself to. As it was, he was ready to pass out now.

Cologne looked on and chuckled. "I think we made particularly good progress for our first session. I think we should call it a night and continue tomorrow."

And with that they slept.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin toweled off the sweat from his training as he made his way back to Cologne's home. The day had passed like a flash, far too fast for his liking. He had learned so much this week, learned things he had never even thought possible. In fact, a few more weeks of this kind of training and he might just have to schedule a trip to Gotham to give a certain detective a very personal demonstration. Heh, oh yeah, this trip was turning out better than he had hoped.

And he didn't even have to worry about the city either. Speedy had, after bugging him incessantly about losing their ship, agreed to watch over things while they were away. The guy might be a shameless narcissistic show off that hated losing, but he was a good fighter and Robin trusted him implicitly.

It wasn't just him that was benefiting either. He had seen Beast Boy's rather impressive display that morning, it was quite the feat; Cologne really knew how to push the little guy. As for his learning Chinese, if she could give Beast Boy's brain a workout, well they'd all be grateful for that.

Raven seemed to be doing well too. She had been more outgoing and social after each day she had trained, as if she were starting to lose her fear of her own power. Anything that helped Raven feel more at peace with herself was absolutely a good thing in Robin's book. This put Ryouga in his good books as well. The dark hero and the dark wanderer seemed to be getting along very well, each of them drawing the other a little more out of their mutual shells. He almost wondered if Ryouga might join them back to the city after this, he knew he wouldn't be opposed.

Cyborg seemed to be enjoying his time here. True he was just working on the T-Ship, but then that was what he really loved to do anyway. And the girl that Robin had seen hanging out with the big guy lately sure didn't seem to be doing anything to hurt Cyborg's enjoyment of their unplanned vacation.

As for Starfire... actually, he hadn't seen much of her lately. That young looking Elder, Perfume was capitalizing on his friend's time. He was slightly curious of what they spoke of so much. He was also slightly annoyed that he didn't get to spend more time with her as well.

Oh well, time to grab the leftovers from whoever cooked and crash until the sun rose.

A sudden high pitched and girlish scream startled him from his reverie. It had come from Cologne's house!

He ran and viscously kicked the door, sending it flying open, and rolled into the building taking up an advanced fighting stance.

He was not prepared for the horrors that awaited him there.

Raven had made "Pancakes"!

Another scream echoed through the night.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven woke up, stretching luxuriously and for once, enjoying the feeling of the sun that awoke her. She was still mad about last night though. Stupid jerks didn't need to put up that much of a fuss over her cooking. She thought the pancakes had turned out well considering she had never cooked before... or the fact that all the labels in the kitchen were in Chinese.

Raven was fairly sure that she knew flour when she saw it. Really, what else could that white powder have been?

Well, it'd be the end of the world before she cooked for those ungrateful jerks again.

She finally dragged herself out of the large bed and slowly got dressed. She momentarily considered doing some stretches or meditating but didn't really feel inspired to start so early. She'd had enough meditating for one week.

That, and she was still a little hungry; the young Goth admitted that her pancakes hadn't exactly been... um... _filling_ , yeah that was it. With that in mind the pale Titan levitated - screw walking today - down the stairs and floated back to the kitchen.

Raven decided to keep it simple this morning, she found some bread and cheese and started boiling some water for the tea that she was sure Cologne had pointed out as being tea. She had hallucinated enough for one night, thank you very much.

After the water was ready and her tea prepared, the dark titan then retired to the table to enjoy her meager breakfast. Predictably Cyborg was the first to join her. Slowly trudging from the room that he and Beast Boy shared. He silently sat in the chair opposite her and grabbed a chunk of bread and poured himself some tea.

"And a good morning to you to, Cyborg," she greeted wryly. He looked back at her groggily, almost accusingly actually; maybe she hadn't been the only one to have the hallucinations.

"Good morning Rae, yadda, yadda, yadda. Since when are you a morning person? I thought Robbie was the only guy that liked torturing himself like that?" he replied.

She shrugged. "My room is on the east side, somewhat hard to sleep in. Though I think Robin is getting better, I didn't hear him leave at all this morning, though his room was empty when I went by. What about you and Beast Boy, what are your plans for the day?" she asked idly.

Cyborg stretched broadly, finally starting to look excited again. "I'm getting back to my baby today. I wasted way too much time yesterday eatin dirt. Beast Boy I figure is either gonna sleep in until tomorrow morning or get back to what Granny had him doing."

Raven nodded at that. Sounded like a good plan, as nice as it was here, she didn't want to become a permanent resident. Besides, Starfire could deal with Perfume so Cyborg could work in peace.

"So, when did Cologne and Ryouga end up getting back in last night, it must have been really late," she asked her cybernetic companion.

He looked back at her confused. "What do ya mean, Raven? They didn't come back at all last night; my sensors would have triggered if they had."

Her left eye twitched slightly. "So, her, Ryouga and Starfire spent the whole night out in the woods? Alone?" she asked calmly.

Cyborg slid back a few inches nervously. "Um yeah, I guess so; don't know what the big deal is, yo."

Suddenly the much larger titan froze in shock. "Wait a sec, if Granny didn't come back, and Ryouga didn't come back... that means that Starfire isn't back today either!"

His eyes widened in fear and he started looking back and forth quickly like a caged animal.

" _That_ means that Per-"a loud knocking at the door interrupted what he was about to say.

Perfume's voice sounded loudly through the door. "You lazy males have slept in long enough; it's time to get back to training!"

Beast Boy's scream flooded out of his room and rang loudly through Raven's ears.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven sighed in relief. She had just escaped the zealous elder's rampage into Cologne's house. She had managed to teleport through the floor, bravely ignoring Cyborg's imploring look to take him with her. She gave a silent prayer to Azar for her fallen comrades. It seemed to be a case of the living envying the dead.

But she had more important things to do today, well actually pretty much _anything_ ranked higher than being subjected to the physical torture that Cyborg and Beast Boy had described to her the night before.

She had a _higher purpose_ , she amended. Raven wanted to know exactly what her three colleagues were doing that required them to be out in the middle of the woods over night. Not that she was worried about Starfire; she knew she could trust her friend with her life. She wasn't worried about Ryouga either; he was far too shy to do anything like that.

Come to think of it, why _was_ she so insistent on seeing what they were doing? Oh well, she'd figure that part out when she got there. She did promise herself last night that she would see what the lost boy was up to today, after all.

It only took a few moments of asking for directions to find out where the trio had traveled to the day before. A short while later she found herself in the middle of nowhere and not sure where to go. She must have been hanging around Ryouga too much; she was starting to get lost now, too.

"Ox-brained fool! Gosunkugi has more talent than a loafer like yourself!" Cologne’s loud, and offensive yell caught her attention.

"Gosunkugi? The guy with the _candles_ tied to hi-" the lost boy's angry reply was cut off by a loud thumping sound, it was quickly followed by the loud sound of something colliding with the ground at high speed.

Apparently, she was closer than she had thought. But now she was even more curious of what was going on. She rushed over and found herself overlooking a makeshift training ground. For some reason in the center of the clearing, someone had drawn a large spiral diagram. How unusual.

More unusual was the fact that the clearing looked like a war zone. Craters were every where, furrows torn in the ground, trees collapsed. What were they practicing here, clear cutting?

Near the center, imbedded in what appeared to be a fresh new crater, was the target of her search. Starfire was standing close by, alternating between apologizing and giggling. Farther outside the confines of the spiral, perched on her staff, was Cologne.

"Get up, boy! You weren't even close that time. This is getting embarrassing, maybe I should go find that Kunou boy, at least then I'd have someone worthy of my training!" she barked loudly.

From Ryouga's bark of mirthless laughter, he obviously didn't think much of her alternative. My, but the old Ghoul seemed to be in a foul mood this morning. Maybe this is what happened when she didn't sleep in her coffin at night. Raven silently snickered at that. Alright, being cooped up in the same small house with Beast Boy for a straight week was starting to warp her fragile mind.

Strangely, Starfire didn't seem to mind the insults either; Raven would have felt certain the Tamaranean would have been defending him for all she was worth. As it was the young alien simply floated back to stand on what looked like the end of the spiral diagram.

"Do not worry, Ryouga, you did much better that time, I am sure you will have it soon... um I mean, um you are a _Chlorbag_! Yes, that and _many_ other _hurtful_ things besides!" she added lamely.

Strangely rather than get mad, Ryouga laughed while Cologne seemed to get annoyed.

"Starfire, I can't get mad if you insult me in a language I don't understand," he said jokingly.

Cologne piped up as well. "And stop congratulating the Lost Boy, we're trying to get him angry, remember?" she complained, obviously exasperated.

Starfire giggled cutely in apology. Slowly Ryouga moved to stand before the orange hued girl and took a strange fighting stance. Starfire mimicked him, getting into a fighting stance of her own, vastly different from his.

Then Cologne barked out an order and the two suddenly began fighting furiously. Raven's eyes nearly popped out of her head! Starfire must have improved immensely over the past week, she had Ryouga on the ropes almost immediately; her attacks were lightning quick and extremely varied. The lost boy wasn't even able to mount a decent defense let alone fight back. It appeared to be all he could do to avoid her attacks, dodging frantically, but being inexorably pushed back.

The dance went on for several moments, it was nearly dizzying in intensity. She was starting to wonder if the whole thing had been choreographed the day before, the moves were so sharp and controlled.

Suddenly it hit her; Ryouga seemed to be walking back along the line of the spiral. But that made no sense whatsoever, what kind of training was this?

"You're a coward that has abandoned all his friends in Nerima to hide in the wilderness!" Cologne's sudden and stark outburst caused her to gasp in shock. She wasn't the only one either. Ryouga's face went red and he turned to yell at the old woman. Then several strange things happened.

Starfire's fist collided with his chest, sending him flying out of the spiral entirely. Then the strange suit that she just noticed Ryouga was wearing clamped down on him, pulling his arms and legs painfully behind his back, even as he flew through the air. After that it was an unfortunate series of uncontrolled crashes and bounces before he skidded to a stop some thirty or so feet away.

There was no way she was going to accept that this was any kind of training! She teleported instantly to his side and knelt beside his prone form.

"Ryouga! Are you _alright_? What are they doing to you?" she asked in a rush.

The lost boy looked up at her, surprise on his face. Suddenly the suit loosed it'd hold on him for some reason and he sat up beside her.

"Raven! What are you doing here?" he asked, obviously curious but strangely he didn't sound like he was under any form of duress.

"I just wanted to see what you were doing, I didn't know they were _torturing_ you out here." She leveled a glare at the approaching females.

Starfire noticed the glare and stopped short, looking a bit embarrassed. Cologne just rolled her eyes. "Fine, take a break, boy; we'll get back to work after you've let the half demon lick your wounds."

What the hell was _that_ supposed to mean! She was about to stand but suddenly found herself bound to the ground as Ryouga's limbs suddenly snapped back behind his back, catching her cloak and very nearly her arm as well. Red faced the lost boy yelled out. "That's out of bounds Old Ghoul! You can't insult Raven like that!"

The old woman turned back to face them. “Perhaps if you were able to control your temper, you would be able to stop me. As it is, I can't see you doing much of anything at all."

With that she turned and pogoed back to the clearing. Starfire went back with her; she appeared to be whispering some harsh things to the old woman.

That was good at least, _someone_ needed to say something.

She turned back to her hopelessly bound companion. "Why is she treating you so terribly? I thought she _liked_ you, but now she's acting like she hates _both_ of us," she spat out angrily.

Ryouga looked back at her and slowly started to smile. Once again, his limbs slowly began to loosen up.

What was up with that? Did nothing make sense anymore?

He gave a weary sigh.

"I'll try to explain, Raven, it's a – a little complicated."

"Try me, I've got all week."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne apologized to the Tamaranean _again_. She supposed it might have been a bit below the belt going after Raven like that, but she had seen an opportunity and had taken it before she had even realized. Still, they were making progress, slowly but surely.

Simple things like failure at the exercises and mere insults didn't faze the lost boy at all now. So, she had started upping the ante. The Matriarch knew the lost boy was still sensitive about what had happened in Nerima and she intended to use it against him until he got over it.

"I still cannot believe that you would say something so cruel to my dear friend!" Starfire complained _again_.

"Again, I am sorry, child, I meant no insult to her. I only wanted to anger Ryouga. You know I hold Raven and the rest of your friends in high regard." She tried to capitulate to the alien girl to get it over with.

Yes, the more she could get Ryouga to deal with the mistakes of his past, the less hold they would have over him. Still, it was unfortunate she had to go to such lengths with the lost boy. This had been so much easier with Ranma, but then he had been much closer to the Soul of Ice to begin with. He had only needed to learn to focus past distractions so that he could keep his concentration.

Ryouga on the other hand, needed to learn what the Soul of Ice _meant_. He was so swept up in his emotions that the entire concept likely felt completely alien to him. She felt that if she could help him control his emotions, she wouldn't just be helping him as a martial artist, but as a person as well. She was certain if she helped him attain the Heart of Ice, even if only once, then he could start to come to terms with it at his own speed and under his own conditions.

"What exactly did you mean by that remark, Granny?" came Ryouga's deep voice. He seemed calm now and was approaching on his own two feet. That was good, he was recovering from his anger faster now at least.

She turned to face the approaching duo. "I didn't mean anything by it, boy, I was just trying to use Raven to get you angry, I apologize."

He shook his head. "I knew that, I meant the comment before that, about Nerima." His features darkened, but not enough to trigger the suit.

Oh! That! Well, she had meant _that_ comment.

"I meant it, Hibiki. Because your precious Akane doesn't want to see you again you've sworn to never set foot in Nerima again. What about your friends there, do they mean nothing to you because of the words of one spoiled child?" she asked pointedly.

Ryouga looked back at her frowning. "I don't _have_ any friends in Nerima, she was the closest thing to a friend I had there," he practically growled.

Hmm, fool boy, was he so blind? 

"What about Ranma? Is not he your friend? The two of you have helped each other numerous times, and you even said that he tried to stop you from revealing your curse to avoid this from happening," she retorted.

He scoffed loudly. "Ranma is my _enemy_ , he's ruined my life at every opportunity he could. Besides, he lives with Akane, I doubt I could see him without seeing her," he argued, still maintaining his composure.

She rolled her eyes at that. "What of Shampoo?" He just returned her stare, not needing to say anything. "Okay, that was a bad example; the two of you didn't exactly get along. But what about Mousse? The two of you worked together before."

He nodded at that. "Yeah, I guess Mousse wasn't too bad. At least the two of us got along better than most of the guys in Nerima. I suppose I wouldn't mind seeing him again, but he's so obsessed with Shampoo I doubt he would ever even notice if I never went back," he riposted.

She conceded that point. Well, it was time to bring out the ace from her sleeve. "Very well Hibiki, but what of the Chef, Ukyou. There is no way that you can deny that the two of you were friends."

He scoffed again. "Bah, she just used me to get what she wanted. All she was interested in was her precious Ranma," he said moodily.

A dull _clunk_ echoed across the clearing.

She retracted her staff from his head.

"Don't be a hypocrite, boy. All _you_ were interested in was your precious Akane, and you didn't seem to mind using her superior intellect to get what you wanted. At the very worst you used each other. A more open mind would say that the two of you were allies with a common goal, perhaps if you weren't so blinded with your obsession you would have seen that!" she scolded him angrily.

The hit to his head must have done something; the gears in his heads seemed to start slowly moving as the boy considered what she had just said.

"Th-that's exactly what it was, wasn't it? Obsessed, we were all so _obsessed_ with the people we were after. Ukyou after Ranma, Mousse after Shampoo, Me with Akane, Kunou with, well with everyone pretty much,” he mused, “Even Akane and Ranma were obsessed with **not** being with each other. We were _all_ so obsessed with the people we did want, that none of us even saw that perhaps the rest of us could have been friends."

Cologne nodded solemnly.

"So, you finally see. If you focus all your energies on one thing, a dozen other possibilities are likely to fly past you. I mean, look at what's happened to you since you've given up on the Tendo girl, you've already made a handful of new and interesting friends." She smiled. Perhaps more, she thought to herself, noticing the closeness between the fanged boy and the violet eyed girl beside him.

The look on his face was priceless. "You know, you're right, Granny. Once I stopped worrying about her and Ranma, it's like I was free to do anything I wanted. Heh, I think I'm feeling ready for more training, I think I'll have this down in a few more days at the most."

Newly energized the lost boy walked over to the beginning of the spiral diagram, beckoning for Starfire to follow.

The Elder smiled and looked to the pale skinned girl still standing by her. "We may want to move back to a safe distance, you might be slightly surprised by the results this training may have," she told the girl cryptically.

With that she ordered the training to begin.

That was one issue down, but she already had a whole slew of others ready to take its place.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster read over the report that Jinx had prepared for him once again. It was truly fascinating reading. This Ryouga fellow that they had met seemed to be an interesting person, indeed. Fighting skills that surpassed Jinx's, who was one of the more technically skilled fighters in the academy. Strength and toughness that seemed to be beyond human norms, if Mammoth's sub sections of the report were true at any rate.

According to Jinx, the boy also professed that he was not a ‘good’ person, hunting and attempting to kill a person that he had claimed was his friend. The boy had even let his students escape after foiling their plan. Any self-proclaimed hero would have locked the trio up for life simply for being who they were.

It baffled him that the boy had stopped them in the first place. Jinx had said he didn't want them using the water on anyone. He supposed that made sense, the boy did seem to have a broader knowledge of the cursed pools than he did.

His eyes flipped back to the other set of reports. The two reports concerning the testing on Gizmo and Mammoth and their newly acquired curses. His scientists were totally baffled, they couldn't explain anything at all, they couldn't even agree on the temperature of the water that triggered the change yet. Where did all the mass disappear to, how did such simple animal brains hold the complex human minds of the two students?

Well, okay, that wasn't as much of a mystery concerning Mammoth; really, he considered that to be more of a sideways move on the evolutionary scale for him than a downward one.

So far, they had not even begun to speculate at a cure for the two. Not that the Headmaster cared whether the two spent the rest of their lives as animals or not. But it was inconvenient to have two such exposed students having such crippling vulnerabilities.

Perhaps Jinx had a point about not using the cursed springs. The potential for their plans to backfire disastrously was far too high, especially if what Jinx had said about the chaotic energies of the valley was true.

For now, for now he would put the Jusenkyo project on the back burner. Now that they had two test subjects, they could increase their knowledge of the curses before they rushed blindly into using them.

Besides, as fate would have it, a much more interesting project had arisen.

It had been some time since he had recruited such a talented new student, after all.

His evil laughter echoed throughout his chambers.


	7. Moving On

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been nearly a week since Cologne had taken Starfire and Ryouga off into the wilderness. Robin was slightly annoyed that he hadn't seen either of them since, well mostly about not seeing Starfire. In fact, he reflected sourly, even Raven had become scarce lately.

Some nights she would return, reluctant to say anything about what she had been doing, and usually in a sour mood. The rest of the time, she would be missing the entire night. He was verging on suspicious, almost tempted to tail her and see where the mysterious girl's path led. Still, he had no reason to worry about her motives; he was just insanely curious about what could be going on out in the woods.

Cologne had made several appearances over the past few days; he gave a silent prayer of thanks for that. She had given him some personal training, odd training at that, sitting him on the side of a stream trying to catch fish. But the old Matriarch had also helped in a few much more important ways as well.

To the vast relief of Beast Boy and Cyborg, she had reigned in Perfume, apparently annoyed with the young elder's interference.

That had let Cyborg and Lotion get back to work on the T-Ship, thankfully. He wasn't sure how much longer till they finished the repairs, but he doubted they ever would have if Perfume had her way. And to make certain that Perfume didn't obstruct Beast Boy's lessons anymore, Cologne had taken him out to the woods with her as well.

Damnit! What was going on out there? And why was he the only one missing out?

Maybe something rotten was going on after all. First Starfire and Ryouga vanish, then a day later Raven joins them. Then a few days after that, Beast Boy goes AWOL as well. The young vigilante wondered if perhaps it might be in his friend's best interest if he went and investigated the situation.

He let out a loud sigh. No, he was just jealous, that was all. What was so cool about training outside the village anyway? He angrily kicked the dirt with the steel toe of his boot.

Suddenly his instincts kicked in and his hand lashed out. Blindly he snatched a small package from the air. He turned to see who had thrown the small bag.

"My, my, do my eyes deceive me, or are you sulking, boy?" came the wizened voice that could only belong to Cologne. There she stood, a few feet away from him, balancing easily upon the new staff she had acquired after their first day here.

"I'm not sulking, I just want to know what everyone is doing out in the woods, why won't you just tell me?" he asked heatedly.

He winced as she removed the staff from his head. Even with all his training over the past two weeks or so, he still could only barely make out her movements. The old woman was so incredibly fast.

"I haven't told you the first dozen times you've asked, why would you think this time would be any different? I've told you it's a surprise," she told him, glaring at him irately.

"Don't worry though, I have a feeling that you'll be getting the answer you seek very soon indeed." The old women followed her ominous statement with some quiet cackles.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Fine, whatever. So what trick are you planning to teach me today?" he asked, his desire to train resurfacing eagerly.

"Trick? _Trick_! I don't teach _tricks_ here, boy!" retorted the old woman, "And you're not going to be learning any techniques today. Your skills are still far too stunted to truly handle any of the ancient Amazon techniques that I've taught to my future son-in-law or Ryouga. However, one day I know you **will** reach that level. What I am showing you is a training regimen that you shall practice even as you improve your other skills. I imagine, after several months, what I show you here shall finally bear fruit and you will add a formidable ability to your fighting repertoire."

Hmm, that didn't sound bad, a little heavy on the criticism, but the prospect of a powerful martial arts technique sounded rather good to him.

Idly he opened the sack.

"Chestnuts? What do these have to do with the training?" he asked curiously.

The Amazon warrior turned to face him, an evil look forming on her aged features.

"Oh, you'll see, my boy. Oh, and take off those gloves, the training won't be any fun if you're wearing flame retardant clothing," she answered his question, grinning wickedly.

The masked titan swallowed nervously at that.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven slammed the door to Cologne's home loudly behind her as she entered the building. She was in a terrible mood, that much was blatantly displayed by her every movement. Being on the side lines for Ryouga's training was infuriating. On the one hand, it was good that the boy was learning to control his temper and was coming to terms with his past. On the completely opposite hand, sitting there watching that old Ghoul verbally attack the fanged martial artist with some of the cruelest things she had ever heard wasn't exactly easy to deal with.

Tonight had been especially bad, she had torn into the lost boy ruthlessly about some carp fishing pole. Raven didn't get the whole story though; Ryouga had shifted the entire argument to Chinese so she couldn't follow. What she did get was that Ryouga was extremely ashamed of the whole situation and embarrassed as well. Apparently, it must have been one of his darker moments or something. Even Starfire seemed to be hitting a little harder that day, somewhere along the line the Tamaranean had picked up the language, and she wasn't impressed with what the lost boy had done.

Still, the three of them had finally worked through the issue, without any input from Raven, much to her annoyance. She wanted to contribute something to the training, not just play cheer leader and patch up the boy after a particularly hard hit here and there.

At least Ryouga appeared to be happy that she was there, but the boy was so intent on his training, he barely had the time to say a complete sentence to her. She was starting to wonder why she went out there everyday. Watching the lost boy get emotionally raked over the coals wasn't exactly fun.

That and it was tiring watching Starfire and Ryouga fight **all day long**! Those two had insane amounts of endurance. She knew that Starfire gained energy from the sun, which allowed the girl to continue fighting, and that Ryouga had achieved his monstrous endurance from rigorous training and a lifetime of travel. But to watch the two of them go at it for so long, she had just needed to get away for the night. If only for her sanity.

Raven finally took in her current surroundings. The house was very still and quiet, which was somewhat unusual. The only occupant appeared to be Robin. And for some reason his hands were heavily wrapped in bandages.

"What happened to you today?" she asked, somewhat moodily.

"What happened to you today?" he replied in an irritated voice.

So that was how he was going to be eh?

"It's none of your business, Robin," she answered.

He replied quickly. "Then that's your answer too, Raven."

The two of them locked heated glares.

Fine then, be that way.

"What's for dinner?" she changed the subject, still irate.

"Nothing. Cyborg is out with Lotion and obviously **I** can't cook!" shot back Robin, indicating his bandaged hands.

Their combined glare intensified even further, she wondered if the boy wonder's mask would burst into flames at this rate.

"Fine, I'll cook something," she stated forcefully.

"No thanks, Raven, I only eat **food** ," spouted out the fuming little boy.

Why that little - " _Excuse_ me," she replied, laying on as much ice as she could. "What exactly did you mean by _that_ ‘Band-aid Wonder’?"

Robin's eye mask narrowed even tighter at that. "Nothing at all, **Rae** , I'm just saying that at least Starfire has an excuse for her food looking like it came from another planet."

Insult her first attempt at cooking, would he? Oh, it was on now!

Her eyes began to glow gray as the air around her crackled with black spiritual energy.

"I suggest you take that back, **now,** Bird Boy," she demanded in a deceivingly calm voice.

The masked boy's response was to stand and wave her in with his bandaged hands.

"Why don't you just come over here and make me?"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Amazonian guards gave Elder Cologne's house a wide berth. Sure, they had gotten many complaints and pleas from people to come and deal with the problem.

However, when they got to the building and saw that the entire structure was shaking violently, unearthly shouts of anger and violence penetrating the walls, and flashes of dark energy bursting from the windows.

Well, they were quite sure they remembered Cologne excusing her strange guests from all their laws. So, technically, it would be wrong to interfere with whatever was going on.

Indeed, loopholes were a grand Amazon tradition.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Man, I really needed that," muttered the boy wonder. Raven gently helped him rewrap his minimally burned hands. She nodded silently to his statement. Blowing off some steam had been just what the two of them had needed.

Cologne's house had seen better days, though. She eyed the creaking beam above them with a little apprehension, but Robin had assured her that it would hold... for a few more hours at least. The rest of the room was a disaster area, to say the least. Oh well, she was sure the Elder would understand.

"So, are you ready to tell me what's been bothering you?" she asked mildly.

He nodded in response. "Yeah, I think so, but only if you tell me what's been bothering you too, Raven."

It was going to be like that again, was it? Still it seemed fair enough.

"Alright, but I asked first," she replied, this time with actual calm.

"I guess it's just a lot of little things that have been building up over the past two weeks. Jinx and her friends getting away. Being outclassed by people two or three years younger than me in this village. Being cooped up with you guys in this little house for two weeks straight. Everyone else is getting dragged off for ‘special’ training outside the village while I get left back here. Having some old crone **burn** the flesh from my bones with her crazy training. It's a little much to deal with all at once," he told her honestly.

She nodded knowingly. "But that's not what's really bothering you, is it? You miss her, don't you?"

He mirrored her nod, blushing slightly. "Yeah, I guess that's the big thing. I barely got to see her at all the first week because of Perfume. But this past week, I haven't laid eyes on her once. I don't know, maybe I'm just being dumb about it."

Raven smiled. "No, you're not, Robin. She misses you, too, she just realizes how important the project her and Cologne are working on is. Trust me, on the few nights I actually stayed out there, sleeping anywhere near her meant I couldn't go a minute without hearing your name while she slept."

His blush encompassed his whole face hearing that. "Um yeah, well I guess it's good to know I'm not the only one feeling bad then. Okay then, your turn Raven. What's eating you lately?"

She took a deep breath. Well she had agreed. "It has to do with Ryouga's training outside the village. I can't tell you everything, since Cologne wants to surprise everyone, but it involves getting Ryouga really angry. So, for the past week or so, the old Ghoul has been doing every terrible thing she can to him she can think of. That makes it twice as bad for me, since not only do I have to watch her treat him like that, I also catch some of his stronger emotions and get to experience the same things he does. After a week of that I'm sure you can understand why I'm not in the best of spirits," she explained.

The masked boy let out a low whistle. "Yeah, I can see how that would put you in a bad mood alright." He dropped a reassuring, yet bandaged, hand on her shoulder. "At least Cologne said that the training is nearly done, after that I'm sure things will start to look up."

She nodded, feeling better now for the talk and the fight. "Yeah, I think it's time I got back to work on my own training, anyway."

The two of them then proceeded to sit in the middle of the destroyed room in comfortable silence.

The door opened quickly, and Cyborg walked in, looking as happy as they had ever seen him.

"Hey guys! What's goin... on…" he trailed off slowly, taking in the damage that surrounded the two of them.

"What the heck did you two **do**!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin woke up with the sun once again; it seemed to be becoming a habit for the reclusive Gothamite. He had to admit it was starkly different from his room back in the tower, which was cloaked in darkness even during the brightest of days. He was starting to gain an appreciation for the sun as well; it was nice being able to wake up without a buzzing alarm, or worse, a blaring siren.

To hell with training today. He had been working his little butt off for two weeks straight; he was due for a day off. Besides, he reflected somewhat guiltily, there was, perhaps, a repair or two that he could affect to their host's house, hopefully before she returned. That in mind he decided to go wake his partner in crime to enlist her aid in the work.

The sight that greeted him when he opened his door nearly caused him to shout in panic. The entire hallway was bathed in the black energy that was so characteristic of Raven's power. Almost as soon as he opened his door, the blackness flooded into his room and over him, before it all retracted quickly, pulling back into Raven's room down the hall.

Hmmm, well that was certainly odd.

A moment later, the girl in question exited said room to meet him.

"Good morning, Robin, off to training?" she asked politely.

"Not today, I think I need a break. That and the two of us have some work to do," he explained, also politely. After a moment he cautiously added. "Um, what exactly were you doing just then?"

"I got up early this morning, so I decided to do some work on the scrolls that Cologne gave me. I was just expanding the area I worked with a little wider than before is all, nothing to worry about," she droned, obviously not excited at the prospect of manual labor.

He nodded. "I'm never worried when your concerned, I know that you know what you're doing." He added a smile to his words.

With that, the two of them traveled down the stairs and went about their work. About a half an hour later Cyborg came out of his room and greeted them for the morning. Unfortunately, he declined their gracious offer to let him help them. Something about it not being his mess and him not cleaning it up. How stingy can you get?

After a large breakfast, the large titan had left to affect more repairs on the T-Ship, leaving them to their amateur carpentry. Luckily, the beam they had cracked last night hadn't split, good since they were sleeping on the second floor. That had been the first thing they had gone about fixing.

It was nice, quiet work, neither of them bothered to say much, nothing really needed to be said. And the time seemed to pass by quickly. He was fairly sure it was nearly lunch time before they were disturbed.

Cyborg burst into the house noisily, shocking the two of them badly after working for several hours in near silence.

" _Dudes_! They're all _back_ and they're headin for the big fight circle thing man! I think something's goin down, let's check it out!" yelled the cybernetic titan, his voice laced with excitement.

Robin turned to Raven and saw her shrug. "Alright, let's go see what's up."

The three of them left the house and headed for the training ground. They weren't the only one's, either, a large mob was starting to form, Amazons of every age whispering excitedly about what was happening.

The masked hero spotted his friends making their way to the center of the fighting circle. Starfire and Ryouga traveled side by side, though Starfire floated several inches above the ground, the look of seriousness on their faces nearly matched. Cologne pogoed behind them a few paces; her look unreadable. Bringing up the tail end of the procession was the missing Beast Boy; he swaggered widely, looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Yo man, what's up with them? BB looks like he just ate the tofu canary and Star and Ryo look like the Terminator twins," asked Cyborg. Robin and Raven could only shrug in response. Robin was just as confused as he was. Starfire didn't usually look that serious, he much preferred her carefree and smiling face.

The group in question then began to split up. Beast Boy stopped well outside the circle and walked off to the side. The lost boy and the Tamaranean stopped only two steps into the circle. The Amazonian Matriarch continued to the very heart of the circle. She then slowly spun to survey all the Amazons present.

"As you all know, the council faces a most weighty decision. So weighty in fact, that they felt the need to call me back from Japan so that I might contribute my wisdom!" she orated loudly for the crowd.

Huh! What was she talking about? They hadn't heard anything about that. He turned to Raven. She returned his surprised look. "Cologne never mentioned anything about the council while we were training."

Even their three friends by the circle seemed confused. Apparently, Cologne hadn't confided in them, either.

"A portion of the council has expressed a desire to expand the tribe and to update our culture so that we may grow more in tune with the world. These elders believe that our isolation weakens us and is causing the proud Amazon nation to stagnate," she continued expertly.

Amazon nation? Weren't they just this one village? That hardly seemed to qualify as a nation in his book. Still, he was sure that voicing said opinion would likely get him in trouble, so he decided to keep it to himself.

"The rest of the council disagrees with that belief. Those elders state that our isolation from the world is where our true strength comes from. That our sacred traditions should not be altered by a few hotheaded youths." The elder looked out into the crowd.

Robin noticed now as well. It appeared that the entire council was present; they now stood around the outside of the circle. They ranged from ancient and shrunken like Cologne, to the uniquely young and beautiful Perfume. Heh, the Titan did notice a slight age difference on the two halves of the circle. The half that Perfume was on seemed to have slightly younger women on it, not quite as shrunken as Cologne at any rate.

Those were hotheaded youths? Sheesh.

"This division is deep within the council, and in fact spreads throughout the entire tribe. And so, as Matriarch, I was asked to decide on the matter. I have decided to do more than that, I have prepared a demonstration to quell any who would question me were I to simply hand out a decree," she explained.

"Had this debate opened several years ago, I would have sided with the traditionalists. We are proud and we are strong; we are capable of surviving on our own with no help from outsiders! But simple survival is not enough, and our independence comes at a high cost. Since traveling outside our village, I have met scores of individuals more skilled than any Amazon save the council members. My own Great Grand daughter was defeated by one such youth, and she was the best of her generation," she yelled out passionately. The crowd reacted strongly, they had all seen that event, and it was a vivid reminder.

"Every generation, fewer Amazons possess the raw talent or even the drive to learn our most powerful and secret techniques. There is not a single Amazon in this tribe under thirty years of age which has mastered the Hiryua Shoten Ha! Some say the outside world breeds weakness, I say now that complacency is what breeds weakness, where you train is meaningless, only that you train."

With that, the aged Elder at the center of the circle gestured dramatically to Ryouga and Starfire.

"Witness this mere outsider male! Born in Japan, he has lived in the new world and thrived. My undisputable demonstration of why the Amazon nation does not need to huddle in the shadow of ambiguity is this! This boy, and others like him, possess the skill and drive to do what our finest warriors of twice their age struggle with. This outsider has learned the legendary Flying Dragon Ascends to the Heavens Blow! "she cried out to the crowd.

At that the crowd went wild. Shouts of disbelief burst from every direction. Several of the elders yelled out in indignation.

"You did **what**?"

"It is against all of our traditions to teach our secret techniques to males!"

"This is _treason!_ " Yet another bellowed.

"Impossible, one so young could _never_ learn such a powerful technique!"

Robin could just make out the movements of Ryouga's lips as the boy leaned over to whisper to Starfire. "Heh, guess she never told them about Ranma, or any of the other techniques she taught us, either."

Robin had to wonder about that. Ryouga told them that Cologne had taught him the Bakusai Tenketsu. Cologne had told him that she had trained Ranma in the Amaguriken and was teaching him the basics of it as well. And she had trained both Ranma and now Ryouga in the Hiryua Shoten Ha, whatever that did. Was there some kind of three strikes and you're out law with the Amazons?

A sly smile formed on Cologne's lips even as she turned to regard her detractors. "Now my fellow Elders, how could I have possibly broken any of our laws? Because of my grievous errors, the lady Raven and all her friends have been exempted from all our laws. And the Hibiki boy is clearly one of her friends," the matriarch cockily replied to their accusations.

Holy crap! Cologne had played them all! Robin had assumed that she had only excused them from those insane marriage laws that Ryouga had mentioned. He had never imagined that she could have meant they were excused from all the laws! Had she planned all that?

"You cannot be serious, Cologne! That law applies to _you_ , not to the male! Exempting him from the laws does not mend that! It is forbidden to teach males our techniques!" argued another of the learned elders.

Cologne's smile did not waver in the slightest, she turned in their direction. Or more specifically, to face Raven. "Child, could you please repeat what you told me yesterday before you returned to the village, during Ryouga’s training?" she asked, her tone strange, almost humorous.

The forehead of the girl standing beside him crinkled slightly as she remembered the past day. Then suddenly her eyes shot open, wide with shock. Almost with disbelief, she then proceeded to repeat what the elder had asked of her. "Just before I left for the day, because of how terribly you were treating Ryouga… I said ‘With friends like you, who needs enemies?’ I had actually said it a few times over the week now that I think about it."

Robin nearly burst out laughing. How on earth had Cologne orchestrated all of that? She was like some form of mad genius.

"That is absurd! Do you truly mock the council with such a feeble and pathetic defense?" yelled another of the elders.

Cologne only nodded smugly. "Amazon law is absolute; there is no room for interpretation. The thirty seventh law of the Amazons, subsection three, is that if an outsider is **wrongfully** accused by the tribe, that any restitution offered by the tribe **must** be honored to the fullest ability of the tribe."

The Matriarch then gestured to the dark titan once more. "In this case, I, a representative of the tribe, had wrongfully accused my friend Raven of being a threat to the tribe. In restitution I offered her and her friends amnesty from our laws. Thus, it is mandated that we must uphold that offer, on our honor as Amazons. And the moment that I cease to be considered Raven's friend, I shall immediately submit myself to the judgment of the council."

The only response now was the slowly rising and lowering jaws of the speechless elders. Cologne's plan was so simple, it bordered on juvenile, and yet, because of their own strict adherence to their laws, they were powerless to stop it.

Robin was starting to wonder how much of Cologne's help and kindness had been true, and how much had been just a show to get what she needed. It was diabolical, really.

"And as to your reference to our tradition of not teaching males to fight, I say this! That tradition is part of the reason we are growing weaker as a people rather than stronger!" Cologne orated her speech loudly now, with sweeping gestures.

"We pride ourselves on being great warriors, but we purposely weaken and pacify our males. How do you think that affects our offspring, purposely joining strong dominant females with weak willed and pathetic males? Our marriage laws are meant to correct this flaw, but we are so isolated that we rarely encounter a worthy outsider male more than once a generation. And the Amazon males that become strong despite our efforts, such as Mousse, perhaps one of the greatest warriors the Amazon tribe has produced in a generation? They are scorned!" she barked the last angrily.

"I show you today that males have just as much potential to be warriors as females, and that if we train both sexes to be strong; then subsequent generations shall be ever stronger for it!" Then, with a dramatic sweeping of her cane, she pointed to Ryouga and Starfire.

"Hibiki, demonstrate for these wise elders, the power of the Hiryua Shoten Ha!"

“…”

Cologne gestured again to the lost boy. Still nothing happened. The elder then turned to look at the martial artist.

Ryouga and Starfire both stood stark still, their faces frozen in shock.

Heh, apparently Cologne hadn't told them about her plan, either. Robin was fairly sure that suddenly going from practicing a little technique, to suddenly being thrust into the very heart of a livid Amazonian debate, had utterly blown their minds.

A quick look to his side showed that Raven and Cyborg were just as awed by what had happened. Cologne had played them all like some masterfully tuned fiddle, Robin nearly felt like applauding.

Quickly the matriarch bounced over to the comatose duo and leapt, lashing out with her staff. The wooden implement impacted heavily with the fanged boy's and the alien girl's heads. It seemed to have the desired effect, shaking the two from their near slumber.

"Fool boy, you're embarrassing me, perform the technique now," she barked harshly to Ryouga.

"Are you crazy? You never mentioned any of this! You just got everyone wanting to kill us, and now you put me on the spot to do a move that I'm not even sure I can do under the best of conditions?" the lost boy was trying to whisper, but it came out so harshly that his words were near yelling anyway. His arms were also waving around in panic as he spoke.

Okay, that didn't sound too reassuring. Several of the elders around the circle had begun to don smug smiles, confident in their positions now. Cologne looked about ready to clout the lost boy over the head again for being stubborn.

Instead another person intervened. Starfire laid a soothing hand on Ryouga's shoulder. He looked at her questioningly, but she didn't say a word. Just smiled beatifically and graced the boy with a brave nod of reassurance.

Her simple gesture seemed to bolster the lost boy's confidence. "All right, Cologne, but you better have an explanation when we're done here. Let's go, Starfire."

The lost boy then slid back into a defensive stance, waiting for Starfire to join him.

Cologne smiled, obviously delighted with her success so far. She quickly jumped out of the circle and barked the command for the two to begin.

Robin was stunned as the two figures in the circle suddenly exploded into motion.

Starfire's war cry split the air as she flew forward with a lightning fast haymaker aimed to take the lost boy's head clean off. Ryouga was forced to give ground to the attack, weaving to the side and stepping back smoothly.

What followed was a dazzling display of martial skill. Robin was amazed at Starfire's progress over the past two weeks. She was attacking with a speed and skill that he had never seen her use before. The Tamaranean was initiating complex combos, punches leading into elbows, feinting into kicks, flowing into sweeps. Her technique was impressive, even to the masked titan.

But something didn't seem right. As much as she had improved, there was no way she should have been able to push the wandering martial artist back in such a way. Though Ryouga could have countered at any time he wished, the lost boy simply avoided her attacks, not even daring to block. For some reason, he appeared to be limiting himself exclusively to dodging, which was making it exceedingly difficult for him.

Something else seemed odd, as well. Ryouga's face was a study of concentration and calm. Not even extremely narrow misses on Starfire's part ruffled him in the least. Starfire on the other hand, her face was a mask of fury. Her eyes had started glowing a few moments into the match and now her hands were wrapped in green plasma as well.

It seemed to be an odd juxtaposition for the two fighters. A particularly cunning combo on Starfire's part, a flashing kick leading into a knee followed by a blurring nova like back fist caused her opponent to bend nearly backwards. Now that her hands were blazing, Ryouga was being forced to dodge by larger margins, lest the heat alone injure him.

Rather than do what Robin would have done, break off and regain his footing to remove his disadvantage. The lost boy made an incredibly awkward backwards roll before kicking himself into a handstand and flipping back to his feet, continuing his slow yet steady backwards motion. The move nearly cost him, one of Starfire's fists grazed his chest, burning through his shirt like paper and leaving a trail of blackened skin in its path.

If Ryouga noticed the injury, he gave no sign, only settling back into the rhythm of dodging the alien girl's fierce attacks.

Robin took a moment to gaze at the audience. Cologne's face was hard as she watched the spectacle, analyzing every movement the pair made. The elder's around the circle however, their jaw's hung open in disbelief, some of the younger elders had even begun to push back at the crowd, trying to get their fellow Amazons to move away from the fight.

What was up with that? Sure, it was impressive, but all they were doing was dodging and attacking as they continually circled around the combat area... wait a moment. That wasn't _quite_ what they were doing, every pass had been shorter than the one before it, and the pair was nearly at the center of the circle. Why on earth –

He shuddered involuntarily, a sudden chill settled over him, as if all the heat had suddenly been drained from the area. Something odd was going on. Robin hastily focused back on the fight in the circle; it appeared to be nearing its end.

Ryouga now stood, almost crouched at the center of the circle, one fist cocked back. The boy wore an icy expression on his face, so unusual for him. Starfire was in mid lunge, her fist also pulled back. Her face was anger incarnate; her eyes billowed out green energy in wispy trails that followed her for several meters. The star bolts that encompassed each of her hands nearly the size of beach balls. It was a terrifying sight, the position that Ryouga had placed himself in, there was no way he could dodge the attack now.

Robin was blasted backwards by a potent blast of force. As well as any of the poor audience that stood within ten feet of the battle circle. He saw Beast Boy go flying overhead and out of sight, screaming all the way. That was all he noticed, because after that the howling of the winds encompassed all his senses.

It was like the very howl of hell itself, a terrible wailing sound that tore at his ears like rusty knives. He could only stare in awe at the sight before him. The combat circle was no more, now, against all of nature's laws, a massive tornado stood, hungrily tearing at the ground even as it reached perilously for the very clouds themselves.

The entire funnel of winds glowed with an eerie green glow, bursts of energy escaping all along its monstrous and undulating length. The tornado hung there for a seeming eternity, maybe seconds, maybe hours; his sense of time was totally overwhelmed by the event before him.

But eventually it did weaken; the glow fading and the winds dying down. Slowly, painfully so, the clouds of dust and debris settled back to the ground and the scene at the center of the circle became visible again.

Agonizingly, Robin pulled himself to his feet, noticing Cyborg doing the same. Raven stood between them silently, her ebon shield just now beginning to dissolve away. He ignored them and rushed to ground zero of the destructive natural disaster that had just inexplicably landed before them.

Standing, barely, at the very heart of the destruction, was Ryouga. His right fist still held high in the air, vibrating from the exertion. The lost boy's stare was skyward, looking for something.

Starfire! Where was she? Robin's head whipped around violently as he scanned the area for him missing friend. Had the attack destroyed her completely? No! Ryouga would never do anything like that, they were all friends, but what had happened?

A whistling sound caught his ears. It drew his gaze skywards much as Ryouga's already was. There! Tiny now, but quickly coming into focus as it returned to earth. Even from the distance he could recognize Starfire's form. She was hurtling back from the sky, wait! She wasn't flying, she was falling! She was unconscious!

Even as her body careened to the earth, Robin ran forward, getting ready to leap and catch her. It was going to hurt, probably a lot, but there was no way –

The lost boy before him crouched to the ground and **leapt** for all he was worth. Robin skidded to a stop, gasping at the feat, as minor as it was compared to what he had just seen. The fanged martial artists leap took him very nearly five stories into the clear blue sky, where he collided with Starfire's falling form.

Then the two floated gently to the ground.

Okay, not exactly, Ryouga knelt in the crater that his heated re-entry had created. The boy appeared to be trying to wake the comatose alien girl. Then Ryouga looked in his direction, imploring him to join him. Hesitantly Robin walked over to the pair in the crater. Starfire's clothing was somewhat torn, but thankfully still functional.

To Robin's eternal relief, her eyes fluttered open even as he entered the crater himself.

"What were you doing, Star? You were throwing off _way_ more heat than the other time we got this to work. You know the move hurts more the hotter the chi you put out!" the lost boy's words were a strange mix of scolding and relief.

The Tamaranean looked back at the bandanna clad boy with a smile. "I just wished to make your display as impressive as possible, do not worry, I am not seriously damaged," she said, giggling lightly at the end. She then turned to face Robin.

"You did find it impressive, did you not Robin?" she asked, smiling widely. She then reached out to him. Smiling from his own relief, Robin carefully extracted the precious girl from Ryouga's grasp and pulled her close.

"I would have been more impressed if you hadn't gotten yourself hurt doing it," he reprimanded her gently.

A flash of black heralded Raven's appearance on the scene. The dark girl knelt beside the lost boy. Gently, she rested a hand on the ugly burn that ran down his exposed chest. A light blue glow appeared and slowly the burnt flesh healed to an angry pink color. Robin flexed his own hands gingerly; they were still the same pink color from her healing, it was perhaps the only reason he was still wearing the chemically treated bandages that Cologne had given him.

She then turned to face Starfire and him. "I know you two are probably quite happy to stand there holding each other all day, but we should really find Starfire somewhere to lie down so I can tend to her," she stated teasingly.

Hmm, that sounded like a really good idea, actually.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne was extremely pleased with how things had turned out. She decided to let the children in the circle have some private time while she dealt with the unbelieving council members that were demanding explanations. At the very least this little display should have them off balance enough so that Perfume and her fellows should have time to start making their case for social progression in the village.

She absently answered the council member's questions for several minutes, until she saw her young protégés leaving for her home. After that she directed all the questions to Perfume; it was _her_ movement, let her deal with the inane questions, Cologne had made her point.

Happily, she bounced over to her home and entered the building. The six children now populating her house were shouting excitedly back and forth with such speed that she couldn't make out a single thing that any of them were saying.

Starfire was laid out on one of the benches, the dark titan tending to her wounds with her unusual but quite useful healing powers. Robin sat at her head, near the end of the bench. He held one of the orange girl’s hands tightly in his own.

Ryouga was leaning back exhaustedly on the other bench. Well it did take time to perfect the Hiryua Shoten Ha, after all. He looked a bit guilty, which wasn't surprising, but otherwise would be fine soon.

Beast Boy and Cyborg sat at the table; they were doing most of the talking. They were endlessly hounding Ryouga, Raven and even Starfire about what had just happened. Unfortunately, none of the three were currently in any mood to enlighten them.

Her entrance caused silence to blanket the room, much as she thought it would. Ryouga met her gaze evenly. "I believe you owe us an explanation for all of this now, Granny," he stated boldly.

She nodded in response. She had indeed promised them an explanation. Besides, what good was such a clever plot if she had no one to gloat about it to? It was probably the same thing that drove the villains in the Titan's stories to always reveal their evil plots.

"Indeed, I do, boy, and considering what I just accomplished with your help, I shall even oblige you. Heh, leave it to a Hibiki to manage to show up in the last place you expect him to be, but at just the right moment that you need him. As I told you when you first arrived, I was called back on tribe business. Though I did not explain then, I believe you know what I speak of now."

They all nodded at that. Good, she didn't really want to explain it all again.

"I had been pouring over Amazon law for two solid days before your fortuitous arrival, but nothing had struck me as being useful at the time. That is until I sensed you and your friend's arrival."

Ryouga started at that. "You sensed our arrival?"

She scoffed. "I sensed your familiar chi even before you entered the village young fighter."

The lost boy's eyes narrowed at that. "Wait, but if you sensed my chi from that far then..."

"Indeed, I sensed young Raven's energy from even farther away then yours. I was preparing myself to combat the demon I sensed, when suddenly your chi became apparent. That confused me enough that I needed to come and see what was happening for myself. That was when I first greeted the six of you at the gates, if you recall," she explained to them.

Six pairs of saucer sized eyes returned her stare, they all stood transfixed with shock before her.

Raven broke the silence first. "But - but then why act like you didn't notice until later? Why attack me and yell at Ryouga after everyone else had introduced themselves instead of right at the gates?" her voice was laced with confusion.

Cologne's ancient smile took up her entire face. "As I said, I had just spent the past two days studying every law that I could find. Like so many others, the thirty seventh law also seemed to be useless to my cause. At least it did until that moment. Because, young girl, inspiration struck me, the moment I saw you and Ryouga side by side, like a bolt of lightning," she told the dark titan.

"As dense as Hibiki can be at times, I knew there was no way he could have missed an aura as powerful as yours. And the fact that he traveled with you so freely meant that you must have somehow gained his trust. But that wasn't enough; after all, Ryouga can be fairly gullible at times." She ignored the dark glare that the lost boy in question sent her.

"That was why I interviewed your friends. I was determining whether any of them were under your demonic control or not. I found no trace of any such taint however, and yet they still trusted you implicitly. It was then that my plan truly came together. By attacking you, I knew it would draw Ryouga and your friends to defend you, thus bringing to light your good nature and showing that I wronged you. After that, I made my restitution and had everything I needed to start my plan," she answered smugly.

Robin snapped his fingers. "So that's why you were so nice to us, giving us all the training, letting us stay with you, teaching Beast Boy and Cyborg the language. You were trying to convince us that you were our friend so you could use the loophole you had created," he deduced expertly.

She nodded again. "Well, for the most part. It's true that Ryouga's training was at the heart of my scheme." She waved off the lost boy's glare. "What, did you think I would suddenly teach you such a powerful technique for no reason at all, boy? I am not a charity. As for the rest of you... well, what can I say, it gets boring out in this old village away from Nerima, your training was just my way of amusing myself." She chuckled loudly.

Ryouga's glare only darkened at that. "So, you used me again, old woman, and all of my friends besides," he accused her harshly.

"Bah, don't be a fool, boy; I paid fairly for the services you rendered. I got something that I needed, something crucial to the improvement of the Amazons as a people, and you and your friends gained invaluable training and experience. I'd say things worked out well for everyone, wouldn't you?" she asked inquired lightly.

After several exchanged glances between the children before her, Robin stood up to address her. "I'd say that was a fair exchange, and you had the best of intentions in mind as well. Though your methods might have been a bit underhanded, we all gained something from it. Heh, I'm only glad you're on our side Granny, I don't think we'd stand a chance _against_ you." The boy ended with a good-natured laugh.

Underhanded, eh? Heh, well she supposed she was a bit... roundabout with her methods, but oh well, it had all worked out.

"It's good to know that someone here appreciates my wisdom. As they say, all’s well that ends well. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I'll likely be pulled into the drudgery of council politics after this display. With all your help I have managed to make a powerful example of why change would help the village.”

She let out an exhausted sigh, more from the knowledge of what was to come.

“But that just means that the real debates are only beginning. However, I think more people will listen to Perfume's position, now. Regrettably, I won't be able to offer any more personal training, but I can ask several of the younger instructors to help you if you wish," she offered the group before her.

The young, masked boy exchanged a meaningful look with the young girl lying beside him then turned back to her. "Thanks Cologne, but I think we're just going to take the next few days off, I think we all need a break after the past two weeks." He then turned to Cyborg. "How much longer till the ship is ready?"

"Well, if I can get some extra help and without any other interruptions, I can probably have us out of here in a few days at the most," he replied happily.

Robin smiled at that. "Yeah, don't worry about us Cologne; we'll be out of your hair in a few days, so I think all of us would like to enjoy the rest of our forced vacation as much as we can."

"Very well, I'll check in on you all over the next few days, but for now I must go and deal with some of those stubborn old birds." She cackled loudly.

With that she turned and headed for the exit.

She paused for a moment before leaving.

"By the way. What exactly have you children done to my home?" she asked accusingly.

She completely missed the saddened expression that now covered the lost boy's face.

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Ryouga gingerly adjusted the straps of his backpack as he made his way to the edge of the village. Its weight felt almost alien to him now, he had hardly used the thing at all over the past two weeks. He would get used to it again, though; he had a lifetime of wearing it ahead of him, after all.

He had slipped out of the house as everyone else had started celebrating their imminent departure for home. The lost boy had nearly forgotten about that. These past two and a half weeks had passed like a blur for him. He had been happier than he had been in a long time. Even at the worst of Cologne's training, he still enjoyed the warmth and friendship that surrounded him.

It really shouldn't have surprised him that it would end, sooner or later. Everything good in his life did. Still, he didn't think he could handle hanging around for the next few days, dreading each passing moment that would eventually take his new friends from him. Better to get it over with now, and without the added burden of an emotional goodbye.

He let out a long, pitiable sigh; he would even miss the Amazon village. But he knew that once the Titans and Cologne had left, it would no longer feel like the home it had over the past weeks.

"Where the **hell** do you think you're going, Lost Boy?" came an angry yet beautifully feminine voice from behind him.

Uh oh. He turned slowly and cringed at what he saw. Raven stood several meters behind him, fists firmly planted on her hips and eyes boring into him. He was sure he could even see a vein or two throbbing ominously on her forehead.

He chuckled nervously, absently playing with the knot of his bandanna. "Um... heh, _Raven_ , um... since when do you swear?" he asked, totally clueless about what to do now.

"I **don't** swear. I am just somewhat curious as to why you seem to be leaving the village without saying anything to me," she asked, far too mildly to be good for his health.

Hmm, yeah, this didn't really look too good. Really, he hadn't expected any of the Titans to even notice his departure.

"I... was going to get a drink?" his statement sounded more like a question, even to his own ears. Man, he **was** a terrible liar.

One of her fine eyebrows arched up cutely. "With your backpack? Were you planning on getting a drink from Jusenkyo?" she asked, still with that terrifyingly calm manner of speaking.

He strived for something else to say, but his accursed brain was failing him utterly. He didn't even get the chance anyways.

"Do you really think that I spent the last week watching you get emotionally destroyed for the fun of it? And now that I finally have the chance to actually spend time with you, without watching you getting tortured by the old Ghoul, I find you sneaking out of the village like a thief? Exactly what kind of message do you think that sends to me, Lost Boy?" she asked harshly. It seemed her calm was starting to crumble, but it wasn't anger that replaced it, rather a more delicate tenor.

Argh, did she have to keep _calling him_ that? Still, his shoulders sagged; he could hear the hurt in her voice despite her attempts to hide it. He was doing it again, just like Starfire had said. Did he think he was the only one that felt bad about being parted from his new friends? Apparently Raven thought differently, she seemed to be taking his attempted escape harder than he thought she would.

A loud sigh escaped his lips. "I'm, sorry Raven; I shouldn't have tried to sneak out like this. It's just all the talk about you leaving soon, I guess I'm just not ready to say goodbye to any of you."

Raven's eyes rolled at his comment. "So, you planned on sneaking away while we were distracted and not say anything at all? Yeah, that's _really_ mature."

He winced at that. "You're right, I guess I didn't think any of you would really care if I was gone, you all seemed so excited about getting home and all..." he trailed off, not really sure what else to say.

The gothic girl approached him, coming to stop only inches away from him. She looked up into his eyes intently; she was so close he could feel her breath on his neck. The closeness was so much that he felt himself starting to blush uncontrollably.

Then she whacked him across the back of the head. Sigh, Cologne had obviously gotten to the girl. Not that he felt the strike, but it was the act itself that struck him.

"Maybe instead of running away from your problems, you should stay and deal with it like a man. I know that _I_ would like to talk about this and at the very least enjoy our time together for the next few days," she more or less ordered of him.

He nodded. Was he so resigned to diving back into his old life that he was ready to start making all the same mistakes all over again? No, some things were worth working for, no matter the cost.

"I think I would like that, Raven. Let's go see how everyone else is doing. We've still got a few days to plan out," he offered, smiling hesitantly.

She graced him with one of her wonderful smiles. She then turned, her cloak brushing against him, and started walking back to the village, leaving him to follow. With a rueful shake of his head, he did just that.

As they began walking Raven tossed a comment over her shoulder.

"Of course, you know that I'm going to make you _pay_ for nearly walking out on me."

Ryouga let out a long, pitiable sigh.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next several days passed in an enjoyable blur for Raven. The six of them had spent their time enjoying their time in the village. The five Titans hardly saw each other for the entire time. Beast Boy and Spice were out roaming the countryside at every opportunity, both determined to enjoy each other’s company as much as possible before the changeling had to leave.

Cyborg spent all his time with Lotion and the T-Ship. Raven felt a little bad for her friends; it was unlikely that they would be able to keep up the relationships they had forged here with an entire ocean separating them. But then, she secretly harbored that fear in her own heart as well.

Starfire and Robin had spent every moment together, apparently making up for lost time. Raven had gone out of her way to avoid the two, she knew that absence made the heart grow fonder, but please, get a room.

Herself, she had spent her time with Ryouga, in a much more dignified manner she assured herself. They had spent their time talking, walking, or just sitting under the stars in total silence. The lost boy was like a kindred spirit, he may not have understood her completely, but unlike any of her other friends, he could truly sympathize with her condition. She never had made him pay like she had threatened, but she didn't really care at this point either.

And now there they were, standing before the fully restored T-Ship. She almost hated the machine and what it represented. But Robin was right, they did need to get home, Speedy couldn't protect the city by himself forever. It was just a slightly melancholy moment now, rather than the excitement she had felt for home several days ago.

The entire tribe had come to see them off. It was sweet, really; the Amazons had really come to grow on Raven after all this time. Most notable of course were Cologne and Perfume, as well as Spice and Lotion, both looking a little sad as well.

All her friends went forward to speak with various members of the Amazons. She floated where she was, content that Ryouga was by her side. Robin was thanking Cologne and the entire tribe for their hospitality and generosity in helping the Titans so much. He even went so far as to give the old Ghoul a communicator, in case they ever needed any help in the future.

As for the other three, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire were talking to Lotion, Spice and Perfume, respectively. Raven couldn't make out what any of them were saying though, since they were all chattering away in rapid fire Chinese.

She grumbled mentally, was she the only person here that couldn't speak Chinese now?

The dark titan wished she knew what they were saying. Cyborg had just handed something to Lotion and now Spice, Beast Boy, and all of them were fighting over whatever it was feverishly.

And Starfire and Perfume had just finished speaking, much more formally. And then the older woman turned to the tribe and made some loud proclamation that garnered cheers and cries from the crowd gathered around.

Apparently, Ryouga noticed her confusion and leaned in discreetly. He pointed to the four struggling teens first. "BB and Cy were saying their goodbyes. But then Cyborg offered Lotion some kind of video transmitter so they could still talk, heh, I guess Beast Boy and Spice were jealous so now they're trying to take it from them," he snickered at that last part.

Those two boys were so predictable. She was sure that they would eventually figure out the concept of sharing.

"Perfume and Starfire apparently had a much more interesting talk. Right now, Perfume is declaring a treaty that she had worked out with Starfire over the past several weeks. Apparently, the Amazon tribe is now allied with the planet Tamaran. Heh heh, talk about your one-sided deals," he informed her.

She rolled her eyes. Well that explains why the young elder was so interested in Starfire. Well, she doubted anything would come of it; Tamaran was an awfully long way away. But if it made them happy, then why not, besides this tribe was so isolated they probably **could** start trading with aliens, and no one would even notice.

Soon after, the crowd was dispersing; apparently Amazons weren't big on goodbyes either. Eventually Spice and Lotion left as well, carrying the communication device between them. And her fellow Titans began prepping the ship for launch.

This left her awkwardly standing with Ryouga.

"So... are you sure you don't want to come with us? I'm sure we could leave Beast Boy here and no one would mind," she joked nervously.

"Hey! I _heard_ that Rae!" came the changeling's angry reply.

Ryouga chuckled at that, playing nervously with the knot of his bandanna. "I just have a few things I'd like to do first, some friends back in Nerima I need to talk to. But don't worry, I promised I would come and see you in your giant T, it may take awhile, but I always get where I want to go in the end," he told her reassuringly.

She looked away slightly, trying to hide her growing blush. "I'd like that, you won't make me wait too long, will you?"

He shook his head. "I will do everything in my power to get to Jump City, you have my word," he replied some what embarrassed at his forward words.

She absently played with the fabric of her cloak, letting it sway from side to side. "So... I guess this is goodbye, then."

"For now," he cut in.

She nodded happily. "For now."

"Oh, for the love of Buddha, Raven, just hug to poor guy and let's go! He'll never make it to the tower if you two stand there for the rest of your lives!" yelled a frustrated Beast Boy from his patched-up cockpit.

She saw Ryouga's face turn red even as she felt her own do the same. Damn Beast Boy, ruining the moment. But he did have a point. Hesitantly, nervously, she leaned forward, seeing the lost boy do the same.

They met in a warm embrace; she pressed her head to his chest, savoring the contact. The violet haired girl felt his cheek rest on the crown of her head. They stood there for several wonderful moments before she finally pulled away.

She then levitated, moving to the cockpit of her section of the T-Ship.

"Don't keep us waiting forever, Ryouga, the Titans will miss you."

He replied earnestly.

"We'll meet again Raven, no matter what happens."

And with that, Raven and the Titans departed for home.

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Ryouga idly wiped an errant tear from his face. He was taking it better than he had thought. But then he hadn't been lying when he said he would meet them again. He would get there eventually, he just needed to go see his friends in Nerima first, there was still much that needed to be said.

"You know, boy, you've really made me proud these past few weeks," came a withered old voice from behind him.

He nearly shrieked out loud and spun to face the speaker. "I thought you left awhile ago, Granny, what are you doing here?" he asked, the shock still in his voice.

She smiled wickedly at him. "I came to see the Titan's off, did you think I would leave before seeing off an old pupil of mine, as well? Besides, I really enjoyed that touching farewell you shared with Raven Hohoho!"

His face burned with embarrassment again. "Yeah, yeah, ha, ha. Still, it's good to know that someone cares, even if it's only _you_."

She swatted him lightly with her cane. "Cheeky boy. I just wanted you to know how impressed I was with what you accomplished lately. You've helped me out immeasurably, you've learned a powerful new technique that will help you become an all around better fighter and against all hope; you've even managed to not make a complete fool of yourself in front of a pretty girl, hohoho!"

He rolled his eyes; did she have to laugh at everything? "Thanks, Granny, for everything, I think this time has helped me to put a lot of things into perspective. But now I've got to begin my travels. I still need to do some things in Nerima, and then I need to find Jump City. So, I need to get moving."

She nodded. "Be on your way then, boy, I'm sure I'll see you in Nerima. Hmm, but if you were in such a hurry, why didn't you ask your friends to at least give you a ride back to Japan?" she asked.

 ** _Damn_**! Why hadn't _he_ thought of that?

He grabbed Cologne's staff and bounced it off his own skull.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster read over one of the many reports that littered his desk. Some were interesting, tests on the cursed students and such. Most were mundane, finances, class schedules, test results, just the usual tedium involved in running an underground evil school of villainy.

He really needed a secretary.

A sudden beep from his desk grabbed his attention. He swept the papers before him out of the way, trying to find the intercom. So many of the accursed reports covered his desk. With a frustrated burst of power, he sent the whole pile to the floor.

He then took a moment to calm himself before pressing the red glowing button on his desk. A small screen rose from the otherwise smooth surface of his desk. The screen lit up and Gizmo's features became visible.

"Headmaster, the target is on the move, he's clear of both the village and the Titans now, should I send in an extraction team?" asked the diminutive genius.

He considered that for a moment. Hmm, no, that likely wouldn't work; if the youth in question could battle with the likes of Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo, a normal team would be crushed easily. He tapped his chin in thought. Hmm, yes, that might work, that might work quite well, indeed.

"No, don't bother with that, Gizmo. Prepare my personal ship and send Jinx down to be the pilot," he commanded his cursed student.

"I'll handle this enrollment _personally_."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga sat by his warm campfire, idly playing with the two souvenirs of his crazy adventure with the Teen Titans. In his right hand was the shiny yellow communicator that Raven had given him. It was a warm reminder of his new friends; it was too bad he was too embarrassed to think of using it to ask for a ride to his destination. Really, he had been traveling for three days already, he was fairly certain they were already home.

In his left hand were the torn and twisted remains of the container that had cursed Mammoth. He couldn't help but think of that enigmatic girl, Jinx, when he handled it. She had been an odd one, that was certain, but strangely reasonable. Strange that he would get along so well with a self-proclaimed villain.

Oh well, that was just life he supposed.

He figured at his current rate, he would likely back in Nerima in another two or three weeks –

A twig snapped outside his campsite.

Instantly the lost boy was on his feet, umbrella at the ready. He slowly scanned the area around him. It didn't take him long to sense the figure that calmly strode into the illumination his fire provided.

The man was tall, taller than Ryouga, and older as well. His hair was gray and receding but swept back into two points. He wore a long dark robe which concealed most of his frame.

"Greetings, Hibiki Ryouga," the gentleman said.

He glared at the older man intently. "How the hell did you know my name?"

"Oh, I've learned a _number_ of things about you, young Hibiki," declared the oddly dressed man in an ominous tone.

A low growl rattled in his throat.

"Like I care, tell me what you want before I send you on your way, forcefully if need be," he barked threateningly.

"You may call me Headmaster, as to why I am here…" began the self-proclaimed Headmaster.

"I would like to be the first to welcome you to the illustrious HIVE academy."

And Ryouga knew no more.


	8. Home Again – Jiggety Jig

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

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Kasumi hummed quietly to herself as she prepared the noontime meal. The eldest of the Tendo sisters reflected on how much she loved Sundays. It was the one day every week that she was able to spend the entire day with her family. She had also enjoyed her morning shopping trip as well; Ranma had been kind enough to accompany her this weekend. Not that she could tell her youngest sister, but Ranma wanted to buy a gift for Akane.

He was such a sweet boy, always playing with his little friends or bringing such interesting people to visit the Dojo. In fact, right after they had returned from their walk, Ranma and Akane had run off to answer another of the endless challenges that Ranma was always receiving. Oh yes, things were so exciting now that he was here.

But even though Ranma hadn't said anything about it, she could tell he was a little sad about something. Akane had been, as well, for the past several weeks; Kasumi suspected that was part of the reason Ranma wanted to get her a little something. She smiled a bit at that. The young Saotome always tried so hard with Akane, even though he had no idea of what he was doing most of the time. But that wasn't really his fault, just the way he was raised.

Though Ranma didn't say anything about why he was sad, it didn't take a large leap of logic to deduce what the problem was. She hadn't given it much thought before, but it had been over three months since Ranma or Akane had seen their little friend, Ryouga. Of course, they would both deny it if asked, but Kasumi could tell. Things had been strangely quiet since the young man had vanished, and only a month after his disappearance, Granny vanished as well, so Shampoo and Mousse had been a little more reclusive for the past two months as well.

Even Ukyo had been less inclined to drop over since the lost boy had last departed. Kasumi believed the pretty young chef might be a little miffed at Akane, blaming her for Ryouga's departure. It wasn't true, but Ukyo and Ryouga had always been such good friends, always palling around and chatting at her restaurant. The young lady probably just needed a way to vent since her friend had been gone for so long.

Ranma would never admit to missing the lost boy, but Kasumi had overheard him muttering about not having any good challenges every now and then. She knew that was just his way of saying he missed his favorite playmate. Those two always had the most fun when they were playing together, and she knew he was getting slightly worried that Ryouga might never come back after what Akane had said.

She sighed lightly, Ryouga was such a sensitive boy, but he was so kind and polite, always bringing gifts and exciting stories from his travels. Still, pretending to be Akane's pet P-Chan had not been a very nice thing to do.

When Akane had found out, she had been livid; not really that surprising for her youngest sister and that temper of hers. Akane had yelled at the poor boy, slapped him and told him that she never wanted to see him again.

And Ryouga, the soft-hearted boy, had just stood there and accepted her punishment; he knew he had done wrong. After all, it was Ryouga himself that had revealed the secret, which Kasumi had found to be very noble. Then the cursed boy had honored Akane's wish, he had left, and no one had seen him since.

Akane's mood hadn't improved any after Ranma's involvement had been exposed. But even Kasumi could understand that; he had made a vow to Ryouga, after all.

She let out another sigh; they were both such strange boys at times. Playing like children almost every time they met, but they both held their honor so dearly. Even though each boy’s ideal of the concept was wildly different from anyone else's, even from one another.

What had _really_ made Akane furious was when Ranma had told her that both of their father's had known as well. Now _that_ had been unacceptable; Kasumi had refused to give either of them any saké for a whole day after that debacle had been exposed.

Really, they had hid the curse from Akane, just using Ryouga to make Ranma jealous. At least Ryouga and Ranma had had their reasons, being trapped in a web of lies of their own devising, and she knew they had both felt terrible about it the whole time. But for her own father, to take advantage of it to try to push Akane and Ranma together?

Her young sister had been nearly unapproachable for an entire week. It slowly became obvious just how far the secret had been spread; the Amazons knew, as well as a host of others, only the three Tendo sisters and Ukyo had somehow been kept in the dark. Nabiki had been intrigued how someone as... _straight forward_ as Ryouga had been able to keep such a large and well-known secret from her knowledge.

The eldest Tendo continued to stir the ingredients in the wok. The stir fry was almost done, she'd have to check on the rice soon; the rest of the meal was also ready to be served. Probably another ten minutes till lunch was served. She wondered if Akane and Ranma would be back in time, they hadn't said much about the challenge they had gone to.

Hmmm, what had she been thinking about? Oh yes. Akane had held on to her grudge for an entire month, much longer than was usual for the forgiving young girl. It might have had something to do with the way that it seemed someone new had known about the curse every other day. But then they had all noticed that an entire month had passed with no sign from the shunned boy.

Slowly her anger had begun to recede. Akane had finally had time to reflect on all the things Ryouga had done for her as a human, not just as her pet. The tragic young man had always been kind to her, always treated her politely and stood up for her when Ranma was insulting her. Ryouga had even helped her train several times when Ranma had just teased her for being clumsy. Even P-Chan had always tried to protect her, in his own little way.

And every girl in Nerima knew how shy Ryouga was, even Kasumi herself. Akane knew just as well as she did, that there was no way Ryouga would have peeped at her, he was too much of a gentleman. And even if he had, he likely would have bled to death, considering P-Chan's tiny little body. Really, though the boy had done a bad thing, he hadn't taken advantage nearly as badly as others might have. She shuddered slightly; what if that Kunou boy had been cursed, or maybe even Grandfather Happosai?

After that, Akane's mood had slowly shifted to worry as the days passed by. One month became two and still no one had seen the boy. Ranma had even begun sneaking out at night, she couldn't think of what else he could have been doing besides searching for their lost friend. Though when she had asked him about it the one time he had snuck out via the indirect path to the refrigerator, he had said he was just going for a midnight stroll.

And now here it was, three months later. Her poor sister was worried that something bad might have happened to the boy. He hadn't gone missing this long for quite some time.

"Hey Sis, how long till lunch?" Nabiki asked her, poking her head through the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room.

She turned to answer, while at the same time getting all the food ready for serving. "It's ready now; I just have to bring it out, Nabiki. Are Ranma and Akane back yet?"

Nabiki shook her head, smirking slightly. "Not yet. Which means we'll probably have to fight off Uncle Genma to make sure there's some food left for them," her sister replied, noticeably not offering to help her with the food.

She sighed, not that _that_ was a surprise, the middle Tendo sister wasn't one for manual labor of any kind.

With that Nabiki's head vanished from the kitchen, leaving Kasumi with her thoughts again. At least some things hadn't changed. Nabiki was acting as she always had. And the Kunou siblings were just as eager to play with Ranma and Akane as ever. Grandfather Happosai was just as much of a handful as usual, possibly even more so since Elder Cologne had left for China.

She grabbed the rice and carried it to the dining room table. She was about to fetch the rest of lunch when a knock at the door interrupted her. She wondered who it could be? Akane and Ranma would have just entered the house, likely teasing each other. Those two were so cute together.

Now curious, Kasumi went to answer the door. Unexpected visitors were always so entertaining around the Dojo. She opened the door only to receive quite a shock. What a coincidence.

"Oh my! Ryouga, we haven't seen you for quite some time," she said, pleasantly surprised.

The Lost Boy stood before the door, dressed in his usual outfit, his bandanna, heavy yellow sweater, and dark green pants. She did notice that his backpack and umbrella were absent. For some reason it struck her as odd, he seemed almost... incomplete without them. The boy wore a happy smile and played with the knot of his bandanna; he always did that when he was nervous; it was so adorable.

"Hello Kasumi, it's nice to see you again. I haven't come at a bad time, have I?" he asked.

Still as polite as ever, that was good. "Of course not, Ryouga, please come in. We're just serving lunch, and Akane and Ranma aren't back yet so there is plenty of food," she offered happily.

She could always make something for the errant duo later, and Ryouga was always such a gracious guest, always complimenting her cooking.

"You’re too kind, Kasumi. We'd love to join you for lunch." He beamed a warm smile.

Wait a moment... ‘ _We_ ’? Oh, she had been so excited at seeing the long-lost young man that she hadn't noticed a smaller figure nearly hidden behind him. How rude of her, she hadn't even said hello to Ryouga's small friend.

"Ryouga, aren't you going to introduce your friend? I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you there earlier, I'm sorry for my terrible rudeness," she apologized sweetly to Ryouga's friend.

Ryouga laughed nervously and stepped aside, revealing that his young friend was a _she_. ‘ _Oh my!_ ’ Ryouga was traveling with a young girl, how debonair! And she was quite pretty as well. She seemed to like darker colors well, all blacks and dark blues.

Kasumi was slightly worried about the girl’s grayish pallor. Perhaps she wasn't used to traveling with someone as robust as Ryouga? Kasumi certainly hoped she wasn't malnourished from trying to keep up with the hardy young man.

The lost boy was blushing now. "Um Kasumi, I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée, we actually met at Jusenkyo of all places."

Ryouga. Engaged? And in such a short time as well. Really there was only one thing she could think of to cover that.

"Oh _my_!" she gasped.

Ryouga laughed politely at her shocked response, and his lovely young friend blushed with obvious embarrassment. Kasumi hoped she hadn't offended her.

"Kasumi, this is the woman I love," he declared proudly and without hesitation.

"Her name is Jinx!"

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Nabiki could only stare in shock at the scene before her. She had expected the Lost Boy to return eventually, of course. But not like this! She had expected a broken man, crawling back and begging Akane for forgiveness. Forgiveness he likely would have gotten, Akane always was as quick to forgive as she was to anger in the first place.

But that wasn't the case at all. Ryouga was back from his prolonged absence, but happy, healthy, and engaged to a girl of all things! He sure picked an exotic girl to boot. Her hair was a shocking pink color and swept back to two large points by a pair of black ribbons; it looked almost like the girl had a large pair of horns to Nabiki.

The gray skin was unusual as well, but the girl didn't appear ill, so Nabiki could only figure she was one of those Goth girls she had heard so much about over in America. It would explain the hair and her dark clothes as well. Jinx wore a dark blue and loose-fitting blouse and a pair of dark and tight-fitting jeans. Not to mention the black choker around her neck as well as the dark colored stone that hung around her neck.

Idly Nabiki concluded the girl was as flat as a board, not surprising considering how thin and athletic the girl appeared to be. Still, after hanging out with so many well-endowed girls, she wondered why Ryouga would choose someone that looked so different.

It was the eyes that set the girl apart most, however. Rather than round pupils, she had large slits at the center of her eyes, just like a cat. Heh, Nabiki sure hoped that Ranma got back soon; she couldn't wait to see his reaction to those big pink eyes.

She gave a sigh of disgust. Her father and Uncle Saotome were congratulating the boy heartily, they were probably only glad that there was one less suitor for Akane now. Still, there was no way Nabiki would get any good gossip from the lost boy if the old men kept patting him on the back.

"So Ryouga; how did you and Jinx meet?" she asked pointedly. Jinx had been quiet since she had sat down, just listening to the ongoing conversation. Nabiki was dying to know how Ryouga had met such a unique looking girl, let alone got her interested in him. Sure, the lost boy was cute, but far too simple for Nabiki's taste, not to mention poorer than dirt.

Ryouga smiled and leaned back, recalling the memory of his first encounter with Jinx. "Well, heh you might find this hard to believe. Though I didn't know it at the time, I was cutting my way through the wilds just outside Jusenkyo. I didn't think anything of it since I had been wandering for so long already. When suddenly I heard someone flying through the air. After a quick leap up to find out what was going on, I saw a figure falling to the ground from a great height."

Nabiki had to admit, Ryouga was a good storyteller. Even Jinx was listening intently. Heh, you'd think she'd never heard the story before.

"After some quick running and jumping I managed to catch the falling person and land safely. It was then that I found myself holding Jinx in my arms," he explained, blushing slightly at the admission.

How cornball; it seemed more like Ranma's luck to have girls falling out of the sky into his arms. Knowing Ryouga's luck, it seemed more likely that some horrible demon would land in _his_ arms.

"Oh my! How romantic!" came Kasumi's happy voice. Her older sister had her hands clasped beside her face, obviously imagining the sappy image in her mind.

Uncle Genma slapped Ryouga on the back. "Good show, boy! Saving damsels in distress is one of the most sacred duties of a Martial Artist. And such a lovely young girl as well. Ryouga, you sly dog you!" bellowed the older man.

Ryouga and Jinx both blushed at that, only to gasp in shock as Nabiki's father suddenly materialized between them, wrapping a fatherly arm around both youths. "Oh, to see such young and innocent love! It brings joy to this old man’s heart!" he quickly looked back and forth between the two speechless youths before looking to Genma.

"Saotome! It is our duty, as Ryouga's guardians in his parent's regrettable absence, to make certain these two are happily married! In fact, a double wedding between Ryouga, Jinx and Ranma and Akane would certainly guarantee happiness for all!" he yelled out, apparently believing his own genius.

"Brilliant, Tendo! I'm certain that seeing Ryouga so happily prepared to wed will surely spark the flames of romance in my son's heart as well! Then our schools can be joined! And then, then we can arrange a marriage between Ranma's and Ryouga's first born children, so that we can join the Hibiki school to our own as well!" cheered the fat old panda.

Nabiki slapped a hand to her own face. Those two were _unbelievable_! They were already getting ready to dive into the same disasters that they had already wrought all over again. Though Uncle Genma had something right. Ranma seeing Ryouga getting married probably would get him fired up, but only because the poor dumb martial artist would see it as a challenge that Ryouga was getting married first.

She smirked as she watched Ryouga retract his fist from Genma's face. And the look on Jinx's face was priceless, where was a camera when you needed one? On her dresser of course!

"Engage my child to _Ranma's_? Are you _mad_ , old man?" Ryouga bellowed in the elder Saotome's face.

Luckily, Kasumi came to the rescue. "Ryouga, please finish your story. It's so romantic, you two falling in love at first sight like that." She let out dreamy sigh at that.

Ryouga blushed and returned to his seat, leaving Genma imbedded in the floor absently. "Heh, well it wasn't exactly love at first sight. Something about Jinx startled me so much - um - that I kind of… attacked her," the boy's last words were mumbled, but Nabiki caught them clearly.

Hmm, an interesting story indeed. Leave it to Ryouga to misinterpret a situation to the worst possible scenario. She nearly giggled out loud at her sister’s and Jinx's gasps of shock.... wait a moment. Why would _Jinx_ be shocked about that? She was there, obviously. Something wasn't quite adding up, but she wasn't sure, just a gut feeling.

"It's a little blurry now; it all happened a few months ago, but luckily we figured it out before anyone got hurt. Then we went and helped her friends fight some big monster," the lost boy told them.

Kasumi gasped again.

"Oh my! A monster? What did you do?" she asked worriedly even though the lost boy obviously came out of the situation fine. He was here after all, wasn't he?

"Heh, well it was a big stone monster, so –"he was cut off by Uncle Genma clapping him on the back again.

" _Ha_! A _stone_ monster? No challenge for a true martial artist; I imagine it didn't stand a chance against the dreaded Bakusai Tenketsu!" stated the balding martial artist.

Ryouga nodded, just shy of bragging. "Of course, the fight was over as soon as I joined the battle. But that was just the start of the strangeness that followed. After that, Jinx and her friends were trailing a group of nefarious young villains that were planning on using the power of Jusenkyo for evil!" he exclaimed dramatically.

Ryouga did enjoy telling stories, he did it so often with his travels. And though he was proud of his accomplishments, he wasn't an excessive braggart like Ranma was, so listening to his stories didn't feel like scratching nails across a chalk board like when Ranma went on about his victories.

…Wait, she had almost missed that. Everyone else was so wrapped up in the story they missed it completely, but Nabiki just caught it. For some reason Jinx had muttered something to herself under her breath. Nabiki hadn't heard it, but her lip reading wasn't too shabby.

But what did the strange girl mean by ‘ _So that's what happened to Cinderblock_.’?

Something was feeling strange; she just wished she could figure out what.

Her father wailed at hearing of the villains. "To think, such evil people wanting to use Jusenkyo for vile ends! Has that accursed place not caused enough trouble?" He then started crying plaintively. Ugh, how embarrassing, and in front of a guest too.

"So, what did you do boy?" asked Genma, probably more curious about Jusenkyo itself than what was being done to it.

"I knew I couldn't let Jinx and her friends go down to the valley, so I struck out alone to battle the villains. Since I was already cursed it wasn't as much of a worry for me. After that I fought off the five villains, though the dark girl with the evil powers knocked me into another spring before I chased them off, but I stopped them from taking any water," explained the lost boy.

Hmm, so he had a new curse as well. She wondered what it was now.

"What spring did the rogue send you into boy?" asked Genma for her. How convenient.

"Hmm, I can't quite remember, it's all a blur now, probably from all the excitement. But I do know that, with some help from the guide, I managed to find some Spring of Drowned Boy water," answered Ryouga.

Suddenly the lost boy found himself in the vice like grip of the Elder Saotome. "You're _cured_ , boy? Did you bring any of the water for the rest of us?" demanded the cursed man.

Ryouga lowered his head and shook it slowly in the negative. "No, unfortunately I doubt anyone here would consider what happened to me to be a cure," said the boy somewhat cryptically.

With that, the lost boy grabbed a glass of water and dumped it over his head. Instantly the young man shrunk but didn't vanish into his cloths. Before them all sat a young boy, perhaps only eight or nine years old! Well, _that_ was certainly a surprise.

Ryouga was right; Ranma probably wouldn't want to change his curse for that. Sure, he'd be male, but it would give him a big disadvantage in a fight, at least he could still fight at the same level in his girl form. And the only thing that mattered to Ranma was fighting.

The balding Saotome crossed his arms and nodded sagely. "I see, so what you thought to be a cure turned out to be only another curse. Truly the life of a martial artist is fraught with peril!"

Politely, Kasumi poured out some of the ever-present kettle over the tiny child and Ryouga quickly swelled out to fill his clothes again. Though he had to readjust his bandanna once more.

"Indeed, but I think it's better than my last curse, so I've learned to live with it. After that we spent several weeks in the Amazon village while Jinx's friend fixed their damaged aircraft. Luckily, Cologne was there for some reason, so they didn't treat us poorly at all," Ryouga explained further.

Well at least that explained where Cologne was all this time, though Nabiki had suspected that was where the old woman had been anyways. Sounded like Ryouga hadn't even had time to feel bad about Akane over his absence; it had been quite the adventure.

Ryouga's young fiancé finally spoke up. "It was over our time at the village that we eventually fell in love," she said sappily, looking into the distance and clasping her hands before her. Nabiki felt like gagging now.

"After that, Ryouga came back to America with me and enrolled at the same school with me, it's been so wonderful," continued the pink haired girl.

Ryouga was going to school again now, as well? But in America? That was so far away; Ryouga must have fallen for this Jinx hard. Nabiki wondered what school would take in a junior high drop out like Ryouga, though, he wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, and she couldn't imagine his attendance was overly impressive.

"So, what school do the two of you go to in America?" she asked.

Jinx surprised her by pulling out a small business card. The card was yellow with a large hexagon in the middle. The hexagon was split into four squares, alternating black and white, with a stylized H in the center. Across the bottom of the hexagon was a small banner with the letters H.A.E.Y.P written across it.

"The Hive Academy for Extraordinary Young People. It's a school for gifted people like Ryouga and myself. And it's also part of the reason that we're here," explained the pretty young student.

Nabiki suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. That premonition turned quickly into actual fear as the mysterious girl's eyes began to glow a molten pink color and the happy look on Ryouga's face melted into an evil smirk.

She noticed her father and Uncle Saotome backing up as well, uncertain as to what was happening. Even her oblivious sister was starting to suspect that something was terribly wrong now, clutching her apron tightly.

Ryouga chuckled evilly as Jinx continued.

"You see, we're on a recruitment drive."

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Kunou strode proudly down the noble streets of Nerima. Today had been a glorious day thus far. Already he had basked in the transcendent radiance of the lovely Akane Tendo. Surely any day that allowed such a humble warrior himself to be so blessed was a grand one indeed.

And he’d had the opportunity to do battle with the vile Saotome. The battle had been short but brutal, Kunou's divine justice was about to be meted out, however the vile sorcerer had used his black magics and cheated Kunou of his rightful victory. However, such a minor thing would not deter one of such puissant spirit as himself. He knew that eventually the villainous sorcerer would fall beneath his righteous blade.

Hmm, but what to do with the rest of his day? The accursed Saotome had run off, claiming to be late for some form of challenge. So like the cur to be late for an honorable duel. Still, it would be dishonorable for one as noble as Kunou to interfere with the affairs of his lessers, let Saotome have his duel.

Perhaps he would grace the Tendo home, perchance the odious middle sister, Nabiki, had acquired more photos for his perusal. Or mayhaps he should away to the okonomiyaki merchant’s establishment. Truly she was fair of figure as well, and his battles had forged for him a mighty hunger.

Really, anything was better than eating his twisted sister’s cooking. And though a mere commoner, the fair Ukyou was most proficient at her trade. He had become somewhat of a frequent customer there over the past several months.

What ho! Some common ruffian hast blocked his noble path to the divine eatery!

"Hey you! Stick guy, you're comin’ with us!" bellowed the base rogue.

Such a lack luster vocabulary surely suited the behemoth that blocked his path. The brute stood nearly seven feet in height, dingy orange hair covering his sloping and apelike brow. The huge villain also wore a skin-tight costume, large metal bands covering his shoulders.

This would not do, not at all.

"Foul Villain, dare you to stand in the way of the true and noble Blue Thunder? Truly, such a debased and misanthropic beast such as yourself is not even worthy to be in my glorious presence, and yet you spout vile filth in the language of the immortal Bard, denigrating the gentle language with which the genius Shakespeare once created such beauty! And to my more immediate concerns, thou dost cease my passage unto a most splendid eating establishment, delaying, unforgivably, my sampling of both the divine cooking of the beauteous Ukyou as well as my viewing of her voluptuous form! It is my most holy of duties that I must now deliver unto you the most righteous and divine of punishments to you! Beware, fiend, for you face Kunou Tatewaki, age nineteen!"

From behind him he heard a loud crash of thunder as the street lit with a flash of lightning, enhancing his dramatic presence to epic levels.

He waited a moment for his opponent reply. Hmm, the muscular behemoth was just standing there, his eyes glazed over and drool escaping his beastly lips.

He scoffed to himself. It appeared that the oaf's meager intellect was not up to the challenge of bandying wits with the Blue Thunder. Very well, he would be off then, culinary delight awaited him only one block down, and two to the east.

He began to step around the oversized simpleton, to be on his way, when the large boy shook his head, much like the dog he was, regaining what small amount of sense he might have once possessed. The large fool then stepped before him, once more blocking his path. Kunou's eyes narrowed as he glared up at the ignorant interloper.

It appeared a lesson was in order.

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Mousse smiled as he wiped down one of the many tables in the Nekohanten. The past several weeks had been near bliss with that shrunken old mummy gone away. Hmm, the smile dropped from his face. On this occasion he wished her all the luck he could. He knew the reason that she had been called back, he knew what the ramifications of the vote were if she succeeded in her task.

The idea of an Amazon village where men weren't treated as near slaves, it was enough to bring tears to his eyes. And if they abolished the tired laws of marriage, then perhaps there was a chance that he could finally convince Shampoo to marry him without being forced to defeat her first. Truly, he hated the idea of harming his precious Shampoo; he would gladly give his life for her.

Still, not having the old monkey on his back had been quite pleasant. Work had been good, business brisk. Sure, Shampoo and he had to work a little harder to cover the loss of their main chef, but they could easily handle it, they just informed their customers they wouldn't be able to make deliveries while Cologne was away.

And even better, since the old bat had left, Shampoo had taken every chance she could to slack off in her pursuit of Ranma. Sure, she still went out every once in awhile when she was bored, but certainly not as much as when Cologne was around. And without the Elder’s help, there were a lot fewer crazy schemes going on in Nerima, which meant it had been pretty quiet lately.

Heck, he hadn't even got in that many fights with Ranma lately. Since Shampoo wasn't chasing him so fervently, he hadn't felt the desire to kill the arrogant prat nearly as much as he usually did. Ranma didn't really seem to be in the mood to fight as much lately, anyway, going through the motions, but not really going all out.

Mousse had a fairly good idea why that might be. After all, one of the main players in Nerima had been missing for a good three months, and nearly everyone was starting to wonder about the prolonged absence.

Shampoo hadn't really noticed, but then the two of them had rarely interacted much. Mousse himself was starting to miss the lost boy. The usual mob chases for Ranma were just lacking that certain something that the Lost Boy's ‘ _Ranma! Prepare to die_!’ added. And he also missed having someone else to complain to about the unfairness of life. Ryouga was a good listener, and unlike Shampoo, didn't smash him in the face whenever Mousse ranted about Saotome.

Once, while at Ukyou's for lunch one day, he had run into Kunou. In a moment of weakness, he had nearly tried to engage the unbalanced kendoist in conversation. After all, Kunou hated Saotome as much as anyone else. Luckily, some poor fool had incited the verbose swordsman's ire and reminded Mousse why he never spoke with Kunou in the first place.

Though, it had been fun when Ukyou had asked him to help kick the loudly orating upperclassman from her restaurant. He'd even gotten a free meal out of it. After that Ukyou and him had spoken for awhile, neither of them really had anything else to do, really.

Ukyou was another one that was starting to notice just how long their resident fanged martial artist had been missing in action. The girl was, quite understandably, upset with Akane. Simply because the youngest Tendo declared she never wanted to see Ryouga again, that meant the boy was forever exiled from all of Nerima?

It seemed somehow unfair; did no one else's opinions matter in this small suburb? They may not have acted it most of the time, but Ukyou and Mousse both considered the itinerate martial artist to be a friend, and they both suspected that Ranma was of the same mind. Unfortunately, they all knew how much Ryouga cared about the young Tendo, so regardless of what any of them thought, he was likely going to honor her wishes till the end of his days.

"Mousse! We is out of cooking oil! Go store and get more, lazy duck!" yelled Shampoo from the kitchen.

He shrugged idly. Sure, why not, besides, considering how much he could carry with his Hidden Weapon Techniques, they saved a small fortune on delivery charges. Probably one of the reasons the old mummy kept him around.

With that he made his way out the door and began down the street on his way to the market.

The day was sunny and warm. A good day to be outside, he almost considered flying to the market, it would be nice to stretch his wings. Shampoo hadn't dumped any water on him in over a week.

"Hey there buddy! I _see_ you!" came a somewhat nasally voice from behind him, speaking English for some reason. Unfortunately for whoever it was, Mousse understood English quite well himself, and caught the slight against him.

A low growl rattled in his throat; did someone _dare_ to mock his vision? He spun around to face the greenish blur behind him. He dropped his glasses before his eyes; he hadn't recognized the voice, so it was probably safer not to take any chances on an unknown opponent.

His vision swam into a murky kind of focus. At least he could tell the speaker was a boy, a few inches shorter than himself, wearing a white and green spandex outfit. And... hmm must be his glasses, or something, but the boy appeared to only have one large eye in the center of a green helmet.

"And who are you to mock my pain, stranger?" he asked, already annoyed with the strange youth before him.

"You can call me See-More, and I'm the guy that's gonna take you _down_ , buddy," retorted the foolishly dressed boy.

As if, even with his sense of sight impaired, Mousse could tell this boy was no martial artist. But still, an excuse to blow off some steam was something that Mousse rarely passed up; he'd just have to be gentle was all. He prepared a padded boxing glove up his sleeve to deal with the impertinent kid.

This would be over fast.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ukyou dusted off her hands after throwing out the jackass that had just tried to trash her shop. Really, what were to odds of some idiot tossing around a hexagonal shield and spouting off in some language she barely knew coming in a smashing up her shop? Still, she had made short work of him, heck, Konatsu didn't even bother to intervene because the crazy spandex wearing guy had been such a loser.

Well, back to work, she supposed. It wasn’t like this kind of thing wasn't common in Nerima.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shampoo hummed as she cooked up another batch of noodles. Mousse had better get back soon; she didn't want to run out of oil and have to stop cooking until he returned. She supposed she should have sent him out for the oil earlier, but it had slipped her mind; there was a lot more to running a restaurant than she had thought. But it was a good challenge, and even though it wasn't martial arts, running a business was helping her learn other valuable lessons that would help her back in the village.

 _Hmph_ , some rude customer had just yelled something from the dining area. It wasn't in Chinese or Japanese, though, so she had no idea what he had said. Still, Great Grandmother had said that the customer was always right. So, with that she pulled the noodles out of the oil so they wouldn't burn and entered the dining area.

"Excuse me customer, Shampoo too too busy in back now..." she trailed of uncertainly. When last she had been in the dining area, it had been nearly bare; only the handful of customers that she had been preparing the food for. Now it was packed to capacity, every seat taken and then some.

Except they all looked like twins, and they all wore the same strange red body suit, with some strange symbol on the chest. Upon seeing her, the numerous strangers started eying her suggestively and whistling.

Her face went red with anger. She might not understand what he was saying, but she understood the language of lechery quite well.

It was time to teach this small army of perverts a lesson.

Amazon style!

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kodachi quietly hummed as she pruned her lovely black roses. She loved her garden and the delights that she had grown within it. Still, it had been a tad dull lately; perhaps it was time to test another of her fun little concoctions on her manly Ranma.

She turned sharply, expecting an attack by villainous rogues bent on capturing and ultimately enslaving her.

Hmm, still nothing. Oh well, one thousand, five hundred and twenty-three days in a row, but she was sure that it was only a matter of time before someone desired to enslave one as beautiful as herself.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The wrinkled old master laughed as he dodged another of his lovely attackers. They had been pursuing him for a good ten minutes straight; he had to give them credit for their determination and persistence.

But would Happosai expect anything less of the Furinkan girl's track and field team?

It had been a rare treat on an otherwise dull Sunday afternoon. Finding the entire female track and field team out practicing for an up and coming track meet like he did. Really, what kind of sports enthusiast would he be if he hadn't offered to help train them for their long-distance runs. Surely, the coach would agree that a few pairs of panties were more than a fair trade for such intensive training.

Oops, that girl had grabbed a broom somewhere along the way. No problem for a master of his skills to avoid, but he was proud to see how far the girls had come. Not only running this far but swinging around brooms at the same time!

He felt another set of gold medals for the girl's track and field team _and_ the girl's baseball team coming up this year.

Yes, Happosai was far too kind-hearted for his own –

" _Sweeto!_ " Someone had carelessly left a pair of silken beauties lying on the ground ahead of him. A quick leap and he found himself caressing the silken treasure against his dried-out skin. It felt like heaven, like –

…Like a dozen angry girls beating him mercilessly with brooms and cleats...

_Ouch._

Yes, indeed, that was enough training for one day, he-he didn't want them to wear themselves out. Yes, perhaps a break was in order now.

Weakly, he reached out for his sack of pretties; a little recharge would get him back on his feet right away.

A shadow dropped over him, and he looked up slowly to see what it was. What he saw filled his heart with dread.

A gray-haired man stood before him, tall and unbent with age; he wore a long dark robe like a cultist of some sort. But none of that mattered. With fear in his heart, Happosai saw the man was holding his precious sack of underwear. **_No!_** What would he do without them?

"Happosai, I presume? You may call me the Headmaster. I have a… proposition for you. You see, I need some help, and I am willing to pay you... accordingly," said the self-proclaimed Headmaster. The man then waved the sack of panties suggestively.

Hmm, the man seemed to know about Happosai's reputation, and what he desired. The man was also willing to work with him, despite what he knew of Happosai. These all pointed to the fact that the man was obviously a villainous fiend.

That and his dark aura was a fairly good indicator as well.

There was no way a powerful and respected master such as Happosai could allow himself to be swayed by this darkly charismatic man. Nothing could possibly make him join the force of evil before him, Happosai was a pillar of the community, and people relied on him for guidance!

The bag swayed slowly before his eyes.

"Alright, I'm in!" he yelled desperately.

The Headmaster smiled wickedly.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mammoth dove for cover behind another wall! Unfortunately, it met the same fate as the other dozen or so. Whoever this crazy stick kid was, he was tearing up the scenery faster than Mammoth could, and he was doin’ it with a stupid wooden sword!

He sighed as he started running down the street in terror. He had thought he volunteered for the easiest looking mission. Some guy with a stick! How hard did that sound? No one had told him that the guy could cut through **concrete** with that thing! The guy hadn't hit him yet, but Mammoth wasn't about to take any chances.

It was time to use the secret weapon that Ryouga had given him! Their newest ally had guaranteed him that it would end the fight instantly. He dove around a corner and whipped off the backpack he had been wearing and pulled out the large circular object within it.

He turned and lifted it before him, tearing off the paper even as the angry swordsman came tearing around the corner.

A _Watermelon?_ How on earth was _that_ going to–

"Spherical Tormentor! **_Strike!_** "

And the fight was over... instantly.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kunou seethed with barely suppressed righteous fury. To think that the massive brute had attempted to use one of the vile and hated watermelons against him! Well, now the fool lay crumpled at his feet, the gruesome innards of the foul fruit covering his body. Ha! That would teach the peasant to obstruct his passage.

Hmm, what had he been doing again?

Oh yes! His lunch was long overdue-

"I _told_ Mammoth that Ryouga didn't like him," a lovely and musical voice interrupted his most worthy train of thought.

The possessor of said voice slowly glided around the corner to encompass Kunou's vision. She was a vision of beauty, a young woman, wearing a skin-tight and sleeveless red top and a hip hugging and noticeably short blue mini skirt. She wore a steel helmet and metal bands around her upper arms as well as her forearms. Even more exotic were her solid yellow eyes.

But nothing compared to the magnificent white wings that sprouted from her back.

"Truly, the heavens have sent an angel not only to celebrate my most honorable victory here, but to herald me on to defeat the black sorcerer-"

"Uh-uh, mister, I'm not falling for the same trick that Mammoth did," the earth-bound angel interrupted his narrative.

He moved forward to ask the messenger of heaven what she had meant by that.

Suddenly her wing spread from her back, enlarging to epic proportion. Truly he was witnessing the display of the angel's joy over his most worthy victory. He spread his arms open wide, awaiting her to bestow her reward upon him.

Then the angel strained greatly, her bosom heaving mightily, and her wings slammed together to envelope him.

And Kunou knew no more.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Billy Numerous, Billy Numerous and Billy Numerous ran for their lives. "That Chinese chick is crazy, Billy!" yelled Billy.

"Shut up Billy, she might find us!" Billy whispered harshly to Billy.

"An _entire restaurant_ of Billy's. She wiped the floor with _all of us_ ," whispered Billy, the fear still evident in his voice.

"We couldn't even touch her, no matter _how many_ of us there was, Billy! We gotta get help!" Billy nearly wept. The memory of the terrifying event was still fresh in Billy's mind. It had all started out so simple to, just go in and capture one girl!

Then the hurting had started. They all shuddered at the memory; the girl had been a whirlwind of pain.

"And where the heck did she get those seement beach balls from, Billy? They sure weren't hidin in that dress she was wearin! Nosiree, that thing was skin-tight," whispered Billy.

Well, that _had_ been part of the reason he'd volunteered for that ‘enrollment’, that Shampoo girl was quite the looker.

"You're telling me, Billy, those things she was swingin’ ‘round weren't the only beach balls in there, if'n ya'll catch my meanin’, boys," snickered Billy.

The three Billy's suddenly looked to the side; a pebble had fallen from the rooftop above and crashed to the ground. Slowly, frighteningly slowly, they all looked up the wall and towards the roof.

The form of a girl and a pair of large spherical weapons descended from the sky above them.

"… _Mommy!_ " "… _Mommy!_ " "… _Mommy!_ "

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mousse easily dodged the blast of energy that erupted from the younger boy's freakish eye. The boy had already demonstrated a variety of abilities with the unusual ocular implant he possessed. In fact, the boy had nearly caught him in a large yellow eyeball, Mousse shuddered at that.

Really, fighting a person that relied on his eye for a battle? That seemed a little ironic to the nearly blind hidden weapons expert.

And aggravating as well, it was almost as if someone chose the boy on purpose to annoy him. A quick leap took him two stories above his optical opponent. A wide gesture of his sleeves unleashed a volley of sharpened implements at the boy below him. As expected, the boy changed the color of his eye, enveloping himself within a green spherical force field yet again.

Whatever the shield was made of it had resisted all of Mousse's attempts to pierce it so far. Some of his weapons clanked against the shield harmlessly and bounced to the ground while the rest flew past the sphere and implanted into the ground behind it. Mousse landed on the ground several dozen feet away from See-more, the chains still running from the weapons into the recesses of his sleeves.

"Give it up, man, you can't hurt me. I don't care what kinda crazy kung fu you know!" yelled the overly arrogant kid.

Mousse smirked at that. "Fool! I am a master of Chinese black magic; do you think your tricks impress me?"

With that Mousse pulled with all his might. All the weapons he had thrown wrapped tightly around the sphere and suddenly See-more found himself airborne via hidden weapons airlines. The super villain was so shocked that his shield had been lifted into the air and tossed that he let it lapse in the confusion. Suddenly the chains contracted around his person, wrapping him in a veritable cocoon of steel.

After that it was with a simple flick of the wrist that Mousse sent the fool crashing into the pavement. The fight was over as simply as that. As unusual as the boy's abilities were, he was no match for a master of the hidden weapons style. After all, the boy couldn't even handle something as simple as a two-story headfirst dive into a paved road.

"Heh, nice job, _four eyes_. I'm not surprised you beat that crud munching loser, but at least he gave me time to do what I needed to do," came a high pitched and offensive voice form behind him.

He spun quickly. "Is someone else foolish enough to challenge a master of hidden weapons?" he bellowed.

Before him, standing next to a streetlight, was a small dwarf, perhaps only slightly larger than the old Ghoul. What's more, the boy appeared to be completely unarmed. What could such a person hope to do to someone of Mousse's abilities?

"Go away, boy, I don't have time to play with you." Mousse dismissed the boy and started to draw the lengths of chain back into his sleeves.

"Heh you think I need to waste my time fighting a dork like _you_? I can beat you with one arm behind my back!" yelled the dwarf from behind him.

Mousse spun angrily towards the small boy. "I am in _no mood_ for your games, boy; go home before I spank you!"

The young boy turned and rudely started slapping his own bottom. "Why don't ya spank _this,_ dress boy?"

That was it, Mousse would teach this little brat about common courtesy, even if he had to implant it with a few razor-sharp weapons. He stalked towards the tiny child, weapons, and unconscious boy, dragging noisily behind him.

He stopped just before the boy. "What makes you think you could defeat a master of my skills? You're just a loud-mouthed brat!" he barked at the boy.

The boy smiled and pointed to the lamppost. " _That,_ you loser!"

Mousse looked at the lamppost. "…A lamppost?"

The boy rolled his eyes in frustration. "Look closer, ya friggin _mole man_!"

The robe wearing martial artist did just that, adjusting his glasses slightly, trying to see what the boy was talking about. What was so special about this lamppost?

Oh, for some reason the entire bottom of the post was wrapped in a heavy copper wire. But why? Hmm maybe this is one of the lamp posts that Ryouga had leaned against and this was a quick repair job? Still he didn't see how that would help a midget like this defeat him.

He turned back to the boy. "Umm, I still don't see where you're going with this, little man. How is a metal lamppost wrapped in wire supposed to help you defeat me?" he asked, honestly confused.

The boy slapped his forehead and dragged his hand down his face. "What are you, stupid? It's your fundamental electro magnetic field generator powered by a micro fusion reactor I created!" yelled the little genius.

Hmmm, okay... Mousse was fairly sure he recognized _most_ of those words, but that sentence hadn't made any sense at all.

"Um, and how does that help you again?" he asked again, maybe the small kid was trying to confuse him into submission.

"Grr, don't you know anything? When you run a current though a wire that is rapped tightly around a metal core, it forms a magnetic field. That means that the lamp post becomes a giant magnet, do you understand?" explained the frustrated midget scientist.

Ah, a giant magnet. That made sense now. Pretty smart kid, being able to turn a lamppost into a magnet like… that…

Slowly, Mousse looked back behind him, eyeing the dozen or so lengths of steel chain that ran across the ground behind him. Slowly he looked back to the small boy before him.

"Uh-oh?" he asked.

The young genius nodded. "Uh-oh is right!" Then pulled out a small device and pressed the red button at its top.

Suddenly all the metal behind Mousse as well as all the various weapons and chain that were under his robe flew to the post at breakneck speed.

Unfortunately, this had the rather negative effect of taking Mousse along for the ride. In a matter of seconds, the near-sighted martial artist found himself inextricably bound to the lamppost, prisoner to his own weapons.

Gizmo laughed evilly.

"Welcome to the neighborhood, classmate!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma strolled along the top of the fence by the canal, his hands deep in his pockets. He let out his breath in a huff.

"Well that was a total bust, Akane. I get all worked up for a decent challenge, and what do we get? Some guy wearin’ a goofy cape that doesn't say a word the whole time. I mean, sure the guy was fast, like he was just poppin from place to place, but he could barely fight at all," he complained to the girl that walked on the sidewalk below him.

She nodded in agreement. "I know, it actually got pretty boring after the first twenty minutes. It's like he wasn't even trying to beat you; he just kept dodging the whole time. And that not talking thing, it gave me the creeps," replied Akane.

Ranma nodded at that, also slightly surprised that the two of them were holding a civil conversation for a change. "Heh, if I was Nabiki, I'd probably say the guy was distracting us, or something, _ha_!" he joked, hoping to get a smile from his companion.

It worked, too. " _Sure_ , Ranma, some big evil plot going on revolving around you. Who do we know that would go to those lengths to distract you? Most people we know just attack you outright," answered Akane, snickering lightly.

Heh, yeah, the Tomboy was right about that. Oh well, at least it had been an interesting dilemma, trying to figure out how to hit someone that seemed to literally vanish every time he moved. Strange that the boy's speed only seemed to work when he moved from place to place though. The kid's attacks might have been skilled, but way too slow to ever hope to hit someone like Ranma.

He let out a small sigh. He hadn't had any **real** challenges in a few months now. Ranma was starting to worry he was starting to get rusty. Ever since Ryouga left, it was like a part of Nerima left with him. Sure, everything was going on as usual, Shampoo glomps, Mousse attacks, the Kunou's rant and rave. Akane clubs him and Ukyou feeds him. Their fathers act like morons. They even got a few random martial artists stirring up trouble. But it all seemed muted somehow, like a vital component was missing.

Ranma knew that he missed the big lout, he was fairly sure that Akane did too. He just hoped the pig-headed jerk didn't take Akane seriously. No one else in Nerima did! But it would be just like Ryouga to take off and never return because Akane said so. As dumb as the guy could be, he did love Akane, and he held onto his sense of honor tightly, as warped as it was compared to Ranma's.

Hmm, that was odd, the front gate to the Tendo Dojo was open; they must have guests over. He leapt down to walk besides Akane.

"Looks like some people are visitin," he pointed out.

The girl sniffed loudly. "Honestly, the least they could do is close the gate behind them."

He smiled at that, Akane could be so predictable.

With that they entered the house. _Mmmm_ , smelled like there was still some food left. They entered the dining room... only to find the room an utter mess. The table was smashed, and food was scattered everywhere. Several of the walls were broken down and there was even a hole in the ceiling.

" _Father_!" Akane's shriek drew his attention to a pair of crumpled forms lying in the kitchen. He noticed his father was the other unconscious body. He walked over and nudged his father with his toe.

"Hmm, you suppose they got drunk and started a fight with Happosai again?" he asked mildly. This wasn't the first time he'd come home to find these two like this, though he had to admit the damage was way worst that normal. The old pervert didn't need to do this much damage to beat down the likes of these two.

Suddenly, he found himself in the clutches of Soun, the old man had leapt up from his slumber and latched onto Ranma tightly.

"Ranma! You must save them, they've been kidnapped!" He then crushed Ranma into a bear hug, tears flowing down his face like a river. "Oh, my precious daughters! Oh _Kasumi, Nabiki!_ Your father has _failed you_!"

Akane gasped in shock. "Someone kidnapped my sisters? But why, why would anyone take Nabiki or Kasumi?" she asked.

Ranma could tell she was starting to lose it already. He suspected he might have been more right than he believed about the dark stranger being a distraction. He was conveniently gone right when the two older Tendo sisters needed him the most.

He angrily sat the eldest Tendo down. "Who did this, Mr. Tendo? Who took them?" he barked at the older man. It was useless though; Soun was crying inconsolably and couldn't answer his questions.

"R-Ryouga, m'boy, it was Ryouga." came a weak voice from his feet. He looked down to see that his father had recovered consciousness as well. He grabbed the old man and wrenched him to his feet.

"What did you say, old man?" he yelled in disbelief.

"You heard me, boy, it was Ryouga. Obviously, Akane's rejection has driven the demented boy completely insane. He came in here with a girl, claimed they were engaged. Then the two of them attacked us and took the girls," his old man explained seriously.

"Ryouga and some girl attacked the two of you and got away with Kasumi and Nabiki? Why didn't you _stop_ them? I thought you were supposed to be a master?" he accused his father angrily.

Genma shook out of his grasp, straightening his gi. "Ranma, you know what a powerful opponent Ryouga can be. But we could have defeated him if he had been alone, that is certain. However, the girl with him. She had the most unorthodox chi attacks; the room literally tore itself apart around us even as we fought off Ryouga. The two of them combined overwhelmed us. They had surprise and tactics on their side, we weren't prepared for that from Ryouga." explained the elder Saotome.

Ranma nodded at that. Ryouga rarely used tactics of any kind. And having an accomplice with unknown abilities would certainly make things difficult. That and why Ryouga would attack their fathers in the first place and why take the elder Tendo sisters?

Something was very strange about this situation, very strange indeed.

"Oh, Ranma. Ryouga has my _sisters,_ why is he doing this?" asked Akane plaintively.

He gently pulled her into a comforting hug. "I don't know, Akane, but we won't let him get away with it, I promise you."

He turned to their fathers. "Did Ryouga say where he was taking them, or why?"

Genma shook his head sadly. "No, he didn't say anything about where they were going, and Ryouga is all but impossible to track once he's out of sight. The only thing they mentioned before they attacked was recruiting for some school that Ryouga had joined with that girl he was with; Jinx was her name. After that, they knocked us out and were gone."

Great, they had no idea what was going on, and worse, they had no idea where Ryouga had taken Kasumi or Nabiki.

Ranma had a bad feeling this was going to get worse before it got better.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster glared at the last student that dragged himself back aboard the transport. Literally dragged himself, Billy Numerous' unconscious form was being dragged up the loading ramp by two of his own copies. The Headmaster shook his head at that. He didn't even care which the original was. The boy had failed him, which was all that mattered.

He directed the trio of red clad failures to sit beside the fool, Private H.I.V.E, who had failed him as well. The two had been sent after two of the weaker fighters, according to Ryouga's descriptions, and yet here they were, dragging themselves back in disgrace.

See-more and Mammoth were both still unconscious, laid out on the floor, but at least they had succeeded in helping to capture their targets. They would receive no punishments; their injuries should hopefully teach them to be more careful in the future.

Slowly the Headmaster walked down the length of the transport, viewing his trophies, carefully secured in transparent liquid filled tubes that Gizmo had devised. First were the two Tendo sisters, Kasumi and Nabiki. He wasn't sure why the boy had wanted Kasumi as well, but this Nabiki sounded fascinating. Already an amateur extortionist, but apparently amazingly gifted at blackmail and information gathering. She would make an exceptional student, despite not having special powers.

Jinx and Ryouga had claimed no difficulty in capturing them. Just a minor scuffle with a pair of older martial artists, one of them the girl's father. He was tempted to recruit them, but Ryouga had told him they weren't worth the effort, a coward, and a crybaby between them. Not very dignified for his proud academy.

Next in line was the odd swordsman. He promised to be an interesting student as well. The young Angel had said the kendoist had used an incredibly longwinded and intricate speech to lull Mammoth into a stupor. Then the boy started to destroy the entire street, tearing apart walls with ease using only a wooden sword. Oh ho, and what he had done to Mammoth after the oaf displayed the watermelon. The Headmaster shook his head; it had become obvious that Ryouga did not like Mammoth for some reason. Oh well, a little rivalry between students was always good.

After Mammoth had been defeated, Angel had stepped in. She said the swordsmen hadn't even struggled to fight her, just submitted to her attack. But from the way she said he was spouting off, it appeared that the young man had a particular weakness for pretty young girls. It was something that the Headmaster could use to mold him into whatever he desired.

The final tube held a long-haired boy wearing heavy glasses and a long white robe. Despite the boy's obscenely thick glasses, indicating a serious impairment in vision, he had still defeated See-more with little difficulty. It was only Gizmo's genius that made his capture so easy. Still, this boy had potential as well; the Headmaster already had visions of training him to be a deadly assassin. With his strange ability to carry such a volume of weapons, undetectably upon his person… oh yes, this one had potential indeed.

And what was even better, except for the eldest Tendo sister, they all possessed mental weaknesses that he could attack. It would be easy to twist them all to his will.

The Kunou boy was obsessed with his own superiority, believing himself to be a samurai of old. He would be the easiest to subvert.

The boy Mousse: he was obsessed with the love of the girl Shampoo. Unfortunately, they had been unable to acquire her, but it was still possible that he could use that obsession to bring Mousse deeply under his control.

Nabiki was obviously fueled by greed and a desire to further her own position. She seemed to be quite strong willed, but he believed she would require the least outside persuasion to join his ranks. He was certain the temptation of limitless wealth and power would bring her in line.

His gaze lingered to the front of the ship, where Angel was being harassed by their fifth guest. _That_ one hadn't required any coercion at all, Happosai had been only too happy to join him when the promise of underwear had been made. It was almost pathetic really.

He was going to have to do something about the old man assaulting his female students, though; it turned his stomach to watch such a withered old freak touching his successful young student like that.

WHAM!

Ah, Ryouga had proved his worth once more, knocking the old man into one of the empty tubes while he was distracted with Angel. With a flick of his mental powers, the Headmaster activated the tube. It was likely for the best that Happosai be kept under wraps, at least until they got back to America where his perverted nature could be unleashed on people outside of his academy.

Yes, Ryouga had been a truly fortunate catch indeed. Not only was he individually skilled, but he had also pointed them towards a literal bonanza of potential students. This one trip alone had bolstered his class size by almost fifty percent. It would have been more if the had acquired the two girls, but, oh well, it was still a good turnout.

It was too bad that Ryouga had absolutely refused to work with that Ranma boy; Happosai had made him sound to be an exceptionally talented youth as well. Still, Ryouga had said that Ranma was too unpredictable to be useful and would only cause the entire Nerima crew to begin in-fighting instantly. And after his quick perusal of their captive's minds, he could see the truth to it. So instead they had sent Kyd Wykkyd to distract the other boy while they performed the enrollment program.

He turned to face his gathered students as one of his academy staff started up the transport.

"Most of you have performed very well today, a most excellent harvest. Now..."

"Now it is time to return home!"

And the rockets of the transport roared to life.


	9. A Little Break

I don't own the Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you wont.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma held his fiancée close; he could tell she was near to tears after hearing about her sisters' abductions. And by someone they had both considered to be a friend; true the Lost Boy was an unorthodox friend, but it still didn't make any sense. If Ryouga had _really_ gone mad from Akane rejecting him - something Ranma had a hard time believing of his greatest rival - wouldn't it have made more sense for Ryouga to kidnap Akane?

Suddenly the last thing that his father had said clicked in his mind.

"Wait Pops, you said they were recruitin’ people? What if Nabiki and Kasumi weren't the only people they were after?" he blurted out his realization.

Akane snapped up to look at him. "The others! We have to see if everyone is okay!"

Ranma and both of their fathers nodded. Genma stepped forward and began to gesture to each of them.

"Ranma, you go check Ukyou's, I'll go to the Nekohanten. Soun, you and Akane go check with the Kunou’s!" The older Saotome actually held a note of authority for once in his useless life.

The pigtailed boy nodded forcefully and was already out the door and over the compound wall before the others had moved. The trip was only a few minutes via rooftop, but every second that he took to get there felt like an eternity. He had to make sure Ucchan was safe!

He landed nimbly before his best friend's restaurant. It looked to be fine, he didn't see any signs of a fight. Still, he burst impatiently through the entrance.

" _Ucchan_! Are you alright?" he yelled fervently.

Only to be met by the blank stares of Ukyou, Konatsu, and the room full of patrons who were mid meal.

"Um, yeah, Ranchan... why wouldn't I be?" asked the expert chef, looking at him like he was a bit crazy.

Konatsu and the patrons returned to what they were doing before his noisy entrance. It was Nerima, after all; they were all used to this kind of thing by now.

Ranma laughed nervously, absently tugging on his pigtail. He sauntered up to the grill and took his usual stool. "Man, you're not gonna _believe_ this, Ucchan, but Ryouga was back in town today!"

"Ryouga's back? That's good news, I haven't seen that jackass for _months_ now," replied the cute chef happily.

The cursed martial artist shook his head wearily.

"Yeah, except the jerk has gone off the deep end. Pops and Mr. Tendo said the Lost Boy and some strange girl came in and kidnapped Kasumi and Nabiki for some school or something.” He gestured to his childhood friend. “I thought they mighta been after you and the others, so I came here to check up on ya.”

He tapped his chin as he considered the situation. “Looks like they were only after Akane's sisters though."

Ukyou looked thoughtful as she looked towards the entrance. "Wait a minute, Ranchan, some guy _did_ come in here earlier today and attacked us.”

She shrugged, looking unimpressed. “He wasn't particularly good, though, so I tossed him out. I didn't even know what the jackass was saying, I think he was yelling in English."

Ranma pounded a fist into his palm. "So, they _were_ after everyone! Luckily, they sent someone weak enough that ya could beat'em easy!"

Hmm, wait, his danger senses were going off like crazy now! He whipped his head around; had Ryouga's friends come back to finish the job? A quick scan of the restaurant didn't reveal any new people, though. With a shrug he turned back to Ukyou.

"What exactly did you mean by that, _Ranchan_?" asked the now seething Okonomiyaki chef; Ranma could see an angry aura beginning to form around her.

Well, _that_ explained the sense of imminent danger.

He backed away quickly, waving his hands before him frantically. "I didn't mean nuthin by it, Ucchan! _Honest_! Um... I gotta _gonowseeyalater_!"

With that, he fled the shop as fast as his feet could carry him.

 _Argh_ , why did girls _always_ take things the wrong way?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma landed back in the Tendo's backyard a few minutes later. No one else was back yet, but that wasn't a surprise; he was way faster than anyone else, that and Ukyou's was the closest location. Still, he had nothing else to do, so he re-entered the house and started looking for any clues that his rival might have left behind.

At least he knew that his best friend was safe, maybe not safe to be _around_ , but at least she wasn't kidnapped or nuthin’. So, someone had tried to kidnap her, but she had managed to fight them off.

Something seemed odd about that. If Ryouga had joined some underground martial artist cult - which was the only logical thing Ranma could think of - why didn't they have any other fighters strong enough to fight Ukyou? And if they didn't, why didn't they send Ryouga after Ukyou instead of the Tendos? Ryouga was way better than Ukyou, it was a waste of talent sending him after two non-fighters, especially since Ryouga’d had backup.

And more importantly… Why hadn't anyone tried to kidnap _him_? Ranma was the best fighter in Nerima, why kidnap the Tendos and Ukyou, but not him? It boggled his mind; he was obviously the best choice to be targeted by an evil underground martial artist cult!

It wasn't _fair_!

The sound of a person landing lightly in the backyard caught his attention. Yes! The kidnappers had finally come for him. He'd show them what Ranma Saotome was made of!

Slowly, he crept to the side of the large sliding door and peeked around the corner. He prepared to jump his would-be attacker.

Only to have the wall explode in a shower of wood and splinter right where he was standing! An instant later, moving with superhuman speed, a blur shot through the opening and glomped onto him in a depressingly familiar manner.

" _Airen_ , is terrible news! Shampoo attacked by too-too-many-man! Shampoo think stupid Mousse gone now too!" She cried onto his shoulder, even as she took advantage of the glomp to rub herself against him in suggestive ways.

One track mind these Amazons.

He grabbed her shoulders and pried her away from himself; it was like trying to bend steel, but he eventually got her off. "Okay, Shampoo, tell me what happened.”

She nodded eagerly. "Shampoo send Mousse go get oil for restaurant. Then Shampoo go cook noodles for customer. Then customer yell something at Shampoo while Shampoo in kitchen. So, Shampoo go see customer, only _whole restaurant_ is customer!"

"Huh? Whadya mean the whole restaurant was the customer?" he asked, getting more confused by the minute.

She shook her head, concentrating.

"Shampoo mean, all customers is _same_ customer. No know how, but all wear same clothes and all have same voice, and all look at Shampoo with _pervert eyes_!" she growled the last part angrily.

Ranma gave a silent prayer to whoever the poor fools were that were checking out Shampoo, the girl had an incredibly low tolerance for perverts, and a very vivid way of dealing with them. Still, a bunch of people all wearing the same clothes and that all sounded the same? That was kinda odd.

"So, you got attacked too, but what makes ya think that Mousse is missin now?" he asked the distraught Amazon.

"Shampoo hunt down escaped perverts and punish them. But on way back to restaurant, Shampoo find big fight, street demolished, and light lamp gone. Fight look like Mousse's work.”

Suddenly, the violet-haired fighter pulled out a familiar item.

“Also, Shampoo find _this_."

It was Mousse's white swan training potty.

Well, that made even _less_ sense now. The strange group that Ryouga joined had fighters good enough to beat someone as skilled and unpredictable as Mousse, and yet they couldn’t beat Shampoo or Ukyou? Not that he would ever tell Shampoo, but Mousse was a better fighter than her. It seemed backwards that she would have beaten her attackers easily, like Ukyou had, but Mousse was beaten and kidnapped.

He was about to ask her if she had noticed anything else about her attackers when-

"Honestly, Shampoo, the sliding door was _two feet_ to the right! Why did you have to bust a hole in the wall?" came Akane's irritated inquiry.

The Amazon in question stuck her tongue out at Ranma's _other_ fiancée. "Go away, Violent Girl, Shampoo being comforted by Airen after tragic news." The Chinese girl then nuzzled up to him again, as he let out a beleaguered sigh.

Akane sniffed loudly but ignored it for now. "Ranma, it's worse than we thought. We were on the way to Kunou's when we found a huge battlefield; it looked like Kunou was in a big fight with someone.” The dark-haired girl gestured excitedly. “Nearly a whole block's worth of walls and carts were slashed with Kunou's sword. But at the end of the trail all we found were his sword and a pile of smashed watermelon, Kunou was gone!"

She then presented the sword in question. Hmm, smashed watermelon? Apparently Ryouga was telling the cult people their abilities, but why tell them something that would make Kunou fight _better_ instead of worse? Ryouga knew that Kunou became nigh unstoppable when watermelons were involved.

Curious again! Whoever Ryouga was working with, they had managed to get Kunou as well. They seemed to be pretty hit and miss as far as fighters went.

"What about Kodachi? Did they get her too?" he asked idly.

Akane shrugged. "I don't know. We didn't bother going to the mansion after we found Kunou's sword. Would you actually _care_ if she got kidnapped?" she asked dismissively.

He returned her shrug. "No, not really, I guess. Heck they'd probably return her the first time they heard her laugh."

Ranma just couldn't figure out what was going on. What had Ryouga gotten himself involved in? And why kidnap Kasumi and Nabiki? Where had they taken everyone, for that matter?

He raised a fist to his chin in contemplation.

"There's one thing that really puzzles me about this whole situation," he mused aloud.

Everyone looked at him expectantly... well everyone except Mr. Tendo, he was crying again - because of the kidnappings or the new hole in his wall, Ranma couldn't be sure.

"Why didn't they kidnap _me_? I'm obviously the best fighter around!" he shouted in frustration.

Everyone recovered from the simultaneous face plant at the same time.

"Ranma, you insensitive _jerk_! How can you ask a question like that? Don't you even _care_ that my sisters were kidnapped?" Akane demanded heatedly.

"Who knows what kind of _horrible things_ Ryouga could be subjecting them to?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And so you can conclude from my carefully formulated attack route, we would take the scientific facility's guards completely by surprise, thus allowing us to make off with the bulk of experimental technology that we were targeting, with minimal resistance or effort!" concluded Ryouga, indicating the elaborate diagram displayed in his power point presentation.

The backgrounds were nice too.

Jinx groaned quietly and tried to sink out of sight beneath the large bench before her. Over the past week, the Headmaster had paired up all the students and assigned each group a different potential target and mission. They were supposed to formulate a way to break into their locations and complete their missions.

It had seemed so simple, especially when she found she had been paired up with Ryouga. Between their abilities, they could walk into practically any building on the planet without a worry. But now that her unfortunately brainwashed fiancé was delivering their report in front of the class, she saw the flaw in her perfect scenario.

 _Why_ hadn't she checked his half of the project?

The Headmaster looked at the diagram in tapping a pointed finger to his chin in consideration. "Hmm, _yes_ , I _can_ see how entering the facility, disabling the security, and then leaving said facility and wandering around San Francisco for a week and a half **would** surprise the guards…”

Only to spin on the itinerate martial artist, his eyes glowing red.

“What were you _thinking_ , Hibiki?" yelled the frustrated master villain.

Jinx slipped her eyes over the edge of her desk just enough to see the convoluted series of arrows and lines that criss-crossed the entire facility blueprint before becoming a meaningless jumble of squiggles that surrounded the building and beyond.

She felt her ears burn as her classmates laughed quietly all around her.

Ryouga scratched the back of his head in confusion and looked at his map, trying to figure out what the problem was.

"Hmm, that's odd; I used the virtual map tour that you gave us to plot our movements. Heh, I just thought it was a really big facility. No _wonder_ it took me so long to find everything ha ha… _ha_ ," finished the hopelessly directionless boy, laughing nervously now.

"Mr. Hibiki, the virtual tour I gave you only covered the facility and the area immediately around it. How did you manage to get **lost in San Francisco in a simulation where it _didn't even exist_!**" bellowed the Headmaster, having lost his temper quite spectacularly.

The lost boy shrugged helplessly. "Um, computer glitch?" he asked, not certain himself.

The Headmaster looked ready to explode all over again, but took a moment to calm himself down. He slowly rubbed his temples, soothing what appeared to be a newly forming headache.

"Just take your seat, Mr. Hibiki. Miss Jinx, I assume you will oversee _all_ plotting from now on?" he asked/ordered her.

She nodded from where she was; she was fairly sure that her hair was tall enough that he could see it move forwards even though she was now hidden completely below the bench.

She glared harshly at Ryouga as he returned to sit beside her.

"You did that on _purpose_ didn't you?" she muttered quietly from below the bench.

He returned her look with another sheepish look and a small shrugging of his shoulders. It was obvious that he felt bad about embarrassing her like that.

He was damn lucky he was cute, that was for sure.

Jinx smiled slightly at that and squeezed his hand reassuringly. Of course, he wouldn't have done anything to embarrass her on purpose. Her new fiancé thought the world of her; he gladly fulfilled her slightest whims and made her feel special, and not just for her powers for a change.

It was too bad it was all a sham, she thought depressingly.

She was aware of who the fanged boy beside her _truly_ felt so strongly for. Though it was a bit satisfying knowing that what she was doing would really piss off that uptight Raven from the Titans, Jinx secretly resented what the Headmaster had done.

When she had first met Ryouga, he'd been just another goody two shoes. But in those short minutes they had interacted, he had left quite an impression. He had treated her better than most people she knew, her friends included, had saved her from being cursed by Mammoth, and then let them escape after he had foiled them.

He had been interesting, and handsome too. She would have liked to think that, perhaps under the right circumstances, they could have been friends, maybe even more given time _. But not like this,_ she thought sadly as she looked up into his eyes. She could see how much he loved her, just from his eyes, and it was all she could do to keep herself from crying.

Forcing him to love her, by altering his memories no less, it was a violation that disgusted even Jinx herself. Still, it was part of the plan, and she could no more go against the Headmaster's wishes than Ryouga could. She was determined to play her role carefully, though.

Perhaps, if she treated him well, there was a chance that his feelings for her could become _true_ over time.

Sure, it was selfish, but she was a _villain_ for goodness sake. Why should the good guys be the only ones to get all the good stuff in life? The way he looked at her sometimes, it took her breath away. And he treated her like she was the most important thing in his world. She knew it wasn't real love, but it was damn well more than anyone else had ever shown her, _before or after_ her powers started acting up.

And sometimes, just on those rare occasions she was almost able to forget that it was that gloomy, fashion challenged Raven that he actually liked, and not her. When it was just the two of them, working together or running through a battle simulation together, or on the few occasions they had been able to be really alone. It was times like those that she could pretend it was _her_ that he loved. It was in those small moments that she had felt genuinely _happy_ for the first time she could remember

The worst part was how _pure_ his love was. It was like fairy tale love, idealized and flawless; he saw her as perfect; he would do anything for her, kill for her, even _die_ for her. And he trusted her, more than anyone had ever trusted her before. It was a cruel mockery, such honest emotions from a person that wasn't even in control of his own mind anymore.

And yet she still found herself staring up into his eyes, drinking in every moment of it. She forced a happier smile onto her face. "Don't worry about it, we'll make it up later during the combat classes."

He nodded happily and turned to watch the next presentation, which was nearly over now. She had been zoned out staring at Ryouga for at least ten minutes apparently, wow, she hadn't even noticed.

"Thank you, See-more, Kyd Wykkyd, that presentation was well thought out and excellently presented," stated the Headmaster.

Still, no matter how much having Ryouga here was tearing her heart apart, she wouldn't have it any other way. His presence made her happy even as it tormented her. And he was a useful member of the academy.

His _friends_ though, she wasn't sure about them yet. Kunou was still undergoing the conversion process; the Headmaster had saved him for last since he seemed to be the most simpleminded. The tall, long-haired boy, Mousse, he had been converted first. Right after his conversion though, the Headmaster had sent him off for more specialized training at a more secure location.

The other two recruits had been placed in regular classes with them; in fact, they were sitting on her other side. Finally sliding back up into her seat, Jinx looked to the dark-haired girl sitting beside her. Ryouga had said she was some form of diabolical prodigy; Jinx had yet to see what the big deal was.

Her name was Nabiki. She sat calmly, a look of smug superiority on her face; apparently the commotion of a super villain class didn't bother her at all. Sitting the next seat down was Nabiki's older sister, Kasumi.

Kasumi was super nice, and everyone _really_ liked her. Especially Mammoth, in fact he had taken to following her around like a lost puppy. It might have had something to do with the fact that Kasumi was the only one that could get Ryouga to leave the larger boy alone when they crossed paths. Ryouga _really_ didn't like Mammoth for some reason.

Still, it was pretty cute.

"I suppose that leaves us with the two Tendo sisters. I can only _hope_ that the two of you can break this depressing streak that seems to be forming around our Nerimian recruits," he nearly pleaded with the two older girls.

Nabiki nodded to her older sister, motioning for her to go up and present their project. Kasumi nodded, smiling brightly, and walked up before the class. She stopped at the center of the large chalk board and proceeded to doodle out their plan.

"Nabiki and I both agreed that it would be very rude to visit the nice people in our assignment without bringing them a gift. So, I would prepare them a delicious and healthy lunch. Then when we arrived at the nuclear plant, I would offer the nice guards the meal and ask them to kindly let us go in," explained the ponytail wearing Tendo. Behind her on the board was what appeared to be a list of the groceries she would require preparing said lunch.

Jinx looked to the bandanna clad boy sitting beside her. "Um, why did we bring _her_ along again?" she asked, incredulous.

Ryouga looked back, his expression deadly serious. "Kasumi might be starting out slowly, but trust me, when Kasumi goes bad, she becomes _unstoppable_." He shuddered at some distant memory. "The true terror is only _beginning_."

She shook her head in disbelief. His mind was obviously starting to fall apart from all the manipulations.

The Headmaster shared her disbelief.

" _That_ is your plan?" he asked the elder sister. He didn't seem to be getting mad though, unusual that. She smiled brightly and nodded.

The older man shook his head slowly and looked to the other Tendo. She was still sitting back nonchalantly, as if their project hadn't been an utter and humiliating failure. What was _with_ this girl?

"Nabiki, is this really all you have to show after a week of work?" he asked.

Said Tendo finally looked up from the papers on the desk before her. She graced them all with a wicked smirk.

"Well, to be honest, Headmaster, I only worked on the project a few hours myself; since Kasumi had put so much more effort into it, I decided to let her deliver her half of the project first," she replied cockily.

The Headmaster's forehead creased with mild annoyance. "I must say I am disappointed by your lack of interest in the project. Well, are you going to at least show us the meager amount of work you put into your half of the project? It would only be fitting that you and your sister failed together."

Nabiki shrugged, unconcerned. "All right then." She then snapped her fingers loudly. "Gizmo, if you will?"

Everyone looked around in confusion. Why would Gizmo be helping her out? He’d teamed up with Mammoth, as usual.

"No problem, Boss," replied the shrunken genius happily. With that he pulled out a remote and pushed the prominent red button displayed on it.

All at once the lights dimmed and a strange machine that no one had noticed being attached to the ceiling hummed to life. Suddenly a three-dimensional wire frame hologram of the nuclear facility that the girls were assigned to infiltrate appeared, slowly rotating in midair before the class.

Displayed on the hologram were guard locations, movements, and shift changes. All the possible entry points and details about the reasons why or why not to use them. A detailed set of diagrams displaying their arrival at the plant and their deployment around the facility.

Everyone stared at the elaborate image in silent awe. Silently, Nabiki approached the front of the class and pulled out a small retractable pointer from her vest pocket and began to point to various areas on the map.

"Point one on the plan is replacing Kasumi's thoughtful gift basket with an airborne delivery system for a nerve toxin to render all the guards at the checkpoint unconscious, after slipping my sister the antidote in our tea before we left," began the younger Tendo.

"Then, after deploying armed attack squads here, here and here..." The girl then proceeded to outline her plan to storm the facility, and not only achieve their objective, but also fortify the building against possible military or even superhero attack. Her plan considered almost every scenario possible and seemed to have contingencies in place for all of them.

It-it was _brilliant_! And Nabiki had planned it out using only conventional methods; she hadn't included the use of any of her super powered classmates.

And it was under budget too!

After she finished her report, the hologram vanished, and the lights came back on. She stood basking as everyone stared slack jawed. Well everyone besides Gizmo, Ryouga and Kasumi, they didn't appear surprised at all.

"That was perhaps the _most_ ingenious and detailed report I have _ever heard_!" gushed the Headmaster. "I think you're ready to move on to more advanced projects already."

She apparently didn't care too much, simply walking back and taking her seat beside her sister once more.

The Headmaster then turned his gaze back to Kasumi.

"Kasumi, I'm sorry, I did _not_ want to do this, however, you have _forced my hand_ ," intoned the gray-haired instructor ominously. He stalked up before the tall girl's seat.

Jinx and all her regular classmates cringed in fear and tried to lean as far away as possible from the imminent explosion of anger. Jinx sure hoped he wasn't gonna make her head explode or anything nasty like that, not considering how close she was sitting.

The Headmaster took a deep breath, apparently getting ready to unleash his devastating power... only to release it in a beleaguered sigh.

"You leave me no choice… but to enroll you in my remedial evil course, you obviously have much to learn here," he finished weakly.

 _Huh_? Remedial evil course? They _had_ one of those? More importantly, why wasn't he getting _mad_ at the girl? Heck, he'd yelled at Ryouga for getting lost in their project, and the fanged boy was his prized new protégé.

"Do I have any volunteers to tutor the young Miss Tendo here so she can hopefully catch up with the rest of the class?" asked their volatile leader.

Mammoth quickly jumped up, waving his hand. "Ooh, me, _pick me_!" he bellowed loudly.

The large villain then glared at any other student that dared raise a hand until his was the only one remaining.

"Very well then, class is dismissed."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven let out a disappointed sigh and flopped back onto her bed, the old tome sitting in her lap already forgotten. She stared idly at her ceiling... yup still black, just like the last time she looked. Absently, she ran her fingers along her silk bed sheets, enjoying the soft luxurious feel. It had been one of the few things she had missed about the tower while they had been in the Amazon village.

She sighed again. It seemed like an eternity ago now, their pleasant stay in the quaint little village. They had gotten back into their regular routine, eat, sleep, fight crazy bad guys. And Speedy had been all too happy to take his leave once they had returned, bored of their city after his two week stay.

Of course, she had kept up on the training that Cologne had given her. The meditations she was doing now not only helped to calm her, but she had never felt surer of herself and in control of her powers. Every day seemed to bring a minor increase in her abilities.

She knew Robin was keeping up at his training as well. His daily visits to the burn ward had gotten so tedious that even Starfire had stopped gushing every time the boy wonder showed up with bandaged hands again. Cyborg had finally got so fed up with the daily fire alarms that he'd disconnected the system in the gym entirely.

Other than that, everything was... _fine,_ she supposed. Nothing to complain about, nothing new or exciting, just the usual villains trying to destroy the city. Yes indeed, things were going well, just- _just ducky_!

 _Argh!_ Why hadn't he _called_ yet? She rolled over in frustration and glared at the communicator on the dresser by her bed. The violet eyed Titan barely even noticed the crash of the moldy old book hitting the floor.

It had been over a month, and they _still_ hadn't heard a word from Ryouga. Considering what she knew of his directional problem, it wasn't like she had expected him to show up the next day or anything. But he hadn't even sent a message or even just called up to talk or anything. She figured someone that was as lonely as the Lost Boy would gladly take advantage of the communicator they had given him, if only to pass the time.

She stretched out on her bed and grabbed the small round device in question. A quick flick opened it and her thumb lingered over the activation button.

And a quick flick closed the disc... then opened it... then closed it.

Why was this so difficult? Things had been so much easier when she had been too afraid of her own emotions to ever contemplate something like this. At least then she had had an excuse.

She flicked the communicator open again. There was no reason for her to be nervous about this. She had talked to Ryouga plenty of times over the two weeks they had spent in the village.

The communicator flicked closed again. But she didn't want to seem too desperate to talk to him. What was that rule? Don't call a guy three months after you get his number? Or was it three days? She couldn't remember those unwritten rules Beast Boy had gone on about before. And there was no way she was going to ask him about it either; Beast Boy and Cyborg had given her enough grief on the ride back home from China.

The device flicked open again. She stared at it passively, trying to discern the strange power it seemed to hold over her. Her thumb once again wavered over the small button that would allow her to contact the bandanna wearing boy, they had left in China all those weeks ago.

Just one little press, such a simple act. That's all it would take, and she would finally know what was going on with Ryouga, and why they hadn't heard from him yet. How much easier could you get? Ryouga was an extremely easy boy to talk to, not nearly as annoying as Beast Boy or Cyborg.

With one final sigh, she closed the device, the loud click sounded of finality to her ears. She just couldn't do it… not today…. there was just _too much_ going on right now, what with their crime fighting… and her _book_ , and-and all that stuff. Yeah, she was sure he would call when he was ready, that was it.

She nearly dropped the accursed device when it suddenly sounded loudly in her hands.

Excitedly she opened it.

"Raven here!" she exclaimed.

She hid her disappointment at the tiny image of Robin on the display screen.

"Time to go, Raven, there's a bank robbery in progress downtown," barked the tiny facsimile of her leader.

Oh joy.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kasumi smiled warmly at the young man sitting across from her. Mammoth was such a sweet boy, and so helpful as well. The two of them were sitting in the cafeteria now; Mammoth was helping her catch up on her class work. She didn't want to fall behind the rest of the class, that wouldn't be good at all.

Being evil was more difficult than it seemed.

"Okay Kasumi, time for question three. A superhero has invaded your secret lair, how do you respond?" asked the exceptionally tall youth, quoting from the textbook.

She thought on that for a moment. Hmm, she remembered the Headmaster saying that it was bad when people invaded your lairs. That seemed to make sense; it was rather rude to drop in unannounced like that. So, if a superhero were rude enough to come by without calling ahead, how would she react?

"Hmm, I suppose I would invite them in and offer them tea... but I wouldn't _pour_ it for them! No-no _wait_! I don't want to sink to their level of rudeness," she answered

For some reason Kasumi was feeling these small evil urges bubbling up from time to time since she had come here. It almost reminded her of that cute little oni that had possessed everyone. Stranger yet, she wasn't worried about these urges at all, they were... somewhat liberating.

Mammoth looked at her incredulously. Hmm, perhaps she had offended him with the severity of her answer. She hoped she hadn't, he seemed like a nice person. After a moment he shook off the look and moved onto the next question, somewhat hesitantly.

The work had been difficult, and she was having a little trouble understanding the curriculum. But she was really enjoying her time at the academy. Kasumi had been forced to drop out of high school early after her mother had died. It was her duty to watch after her family, and she had loved doing it, she had felt very content.

But ever since she had spoken with the Headmaster, she also remembered how much she had enjoyed school as well, and how she had dreamed of going to college and becoming a doctor, just like Dr. Tofu. She had never gotten the chance to do anything for herself; her family had always come first for her.

A strangely bitter thought entered her mind. It was like the only daughter their father worried about was _Akane_ and getting her married to Ranma. Even though Kasumi did all the housework and Nabiki handled the finances, Akane got _all_ the attention, _all_ the visitors, and _all_ the gifts. Kasumi and the Nabiki were always on the sidelines, cleaning up the messes that Akane made.

She shook her head slightly. Where had _that_ come from? She loved Akane, it didn't matter that everyone liked her younger sister so much more than her... did it?

Hmm, another of those evil urges was starting to bubble up.

Slowly she reached across the table and forced Mammoth to lower the textbook to the table. He looked back at her questioningly.

"What's up, Kasumi? Are you bored of studyin’ already?" he asked, slightly concerned.

She smiled widely at her new classmate and friend.

"No, Mammoth, I was thinking of working on an extra credit project. Tell me, who does the Headmaster not like very much at all?" she asked innocently.

A smile formed on her companion's face at hearing that.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy grumbled, watching his colorful digital vehicle combust before his eyes once more. This game was _so boring_ when he had to play it by himself. He had been dead bored since the bank robbery the day before, and that had just been some normal goons with guns. Heck, Robin coulda handled them by himself, they didn't need to drag him out there too.

And Cyborg was nowhere to be seen. The large titan had mysteriously vanished an hour ago. But Beast Boy knew where he was. His buddy was off hogging the video thingy he had given Lotion; he practically never let Beast Boy use it to talk to Spice. It was so unfair; Cyborg was always going on about how he had ‘ _built_ ’ it and stuff like that.

Like that mattered!

Robin and Starfire were down in the Gym, training or making out; he didn't really know or care at this point. Those two danced around each other like champion Tango dancers. Why didn't they just fess up that they liked each other and start dating already? All this half-assed flirting stuff was gonna make Beast Boy hurl one of these days.

Raven was locked up in her room _again._ Not that _that_ was a big surprise, she’d been doing that long before they went to China. Although Beast Boy would have to say that their otherwise stoic friend was being a bit more... mopey than usual. Probably cuz Ryouga still hadn't shown up.

What was up with that? The guy was takin his sweet time, that was for sure. Beast Boy was almost as eager for the lost boy's return as Raven was. He couldn't wait to see the look on Control Freak's face, or whatever baddie they fought, when Ryouga was on their side. Even if the guy only stayed for awhile, it would still be way awesome to see him kick some super villain butt!

His train of thought was derailed by the doorbell. Hmm, that was odd, not many people that came out this far bothered using the doorbell. Heck, half the people that came to the tower were tryin to blow it up anyway.

Still, it was something to do, and no one else was around, so the emerald Titan went to answer the door.

A quick elevator ride found him standing before the main door, and he opened it quickly, excited to see who was there.

 _Oh. My. God_! It was more wonderful than he could have hoped!

"A dozen pizzas for the Teen Titans. Heh, you know, normally we don't deliver out this far. But since it's _you guys_ , well, how could we say no?" stated the pizza delivery guy.

Beast Boy could feel the drool welling up in his mouth. Robin must have ordered them a celebratory feast for the good work yesterday! That was awesome! He just needed to go get the boy wonder so that he could pay the guy; Robin was the one with all the money after all.

"Awesome man, I'll go get the money," said Beast Boy, then turned to suit action to word.

"Um, money for what, Beast Boy?" came the familiar voice of the Titan leader.

Beast Boy finished turning to find himself face to face with Robin. Heh, talk about convenient!

"Dude, for all this pizza, man! Pay the dude, Robin!" exclaimed the happy changeling.

Robin looked over the green Titan's shoulder to the pizza man. He then looked back to Beast Boy, his eye mask narrowing dangerously.

"You ordered a _dozen_ pizzas, Beast Boy? What were you _thinking_?" whispered the masked Titan harshly, trying not to make a scene in front of the stranger.

Beast Boy backed up waving his arms. "Dude! I didn't order it! I thought _you_ did!" he cried in denial.

A knock at the door alerted both Titans to a new visitor.

"Two dozen submarine sandwiches for the Titans! We wouldn't normally deliver out this far, but since it's _you guys_ , we figured why not?" stated the new delivery boy.

The two delivery guys looked at each other and the massive stacks of food that the other carried.

"Wow, you guys must be having quite the party to need all this food!"

"Was there to be a surprise party that I was not informed of?" came a musical voice from the staircase.

Robin glared at Beast Boy again. "Beast Boy, why on earth did you order all this food? There's no way we could eat all that!"

"Dude! I'm telling you I didn't order this!" barked the shape shifting Titan.

Starfire floated over. "But then, who would have ordered the mystery food?" she asked.

The doorbell rang again, heralding a new arrival.

"Seafood platter for twenty! Heh, we don't even _do_ delivery, but since it was for the _Teen Titans_ , how could we say no?" said the new delivery boy happily.

Then the three delivery boys looked at each other, this time suspiciously.

By this time Cyborg and Raven had made their way down to investigate the first ring of the doorbell.

"What's goin on, y'all? And what's with all the grub? You throwin a party Robin, cuz if so, I'll go hook up the stereo man!" cheered the titanium coated Titan.

Robin turned from the new arrivals to glare at Beast Boy again. "I didn't order all of this, apparently _Beast Boy_ thought it would be funny to order all this food," accused the boy wonder.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Yeah _, real_ mature, Beast Boy," she muttered.

Beast Boy felt like exploding! Why were they all blaming this on _him_? "Guys! Why the heck would _I_ order a _seafood_ platter? I'm a _vegetarian_!" he nearly yelled in frustration.

The pizza delivery guy stepped forward nervously. "Um look, _someone's_ gotta pay for this pizza, or else it'll come outta my paycheck, and I **really** don't get paid enough to afford a dozen pizzas," complained the pizza toting youth.

The other two delivery people nodded in agreement.

"Dinner for fifteen compliments of Yao's Chinese Diner for the Titans! We don't usually... _wow_ are you guys throwing a party or what?" came a new and unwelcome voice.

The emerald changeling cringed under the combined glare of four other Titans.

" _BEAST BOY_!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The entire class of the Hive academy burst out into uncontrollable laughter at the video feed from the aerial camera. Even the quiet kids like Kyd Wykkyd and XL Terrestrial were nearly bent over trying to hold in their amusement. Gizmo, Bumblebee, Jinx, Billy Numerous, Private H.I.V.E., they were all rolling around in their seats.

Even the Headmaster had a tiny smile on his features. He turned to face Kasumi and Mammoth, both standing beside the large view screen, equally large smiles on their faces.

"A basic plot, but always a classic: the false delivery call.” He sighed in contentment. “I remember when I used to do that back in my youth," reminisced the aged villain.

"Simple yes, but it shows that your head is in the right place Miss Tendo, and I like the initiative you've shown in this little extra credit exercise. I'm sure you'll be ready for the basic level evil courses in a few more weeks."

The student and her tutor beamed at the news, and everyone had really enjoyed their project as well.

Yes, overall, it had been a particularly good day.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cologne pogoed down the sidewalk whistling a jaunty tune. She had been away from Nerima for far too long and had quickly grown tired of the constant bickering of the Elders of her village. Still, all her hard work had finally paid off. The vote had been held and passed; the village would indeed begin to embrace change.

Not that she expected anything to change immediately. She herself had advised a slow and cautious approach to how they changed their society. It would likely be years, possibly even generations before real change was able to take place. It would probably have to wait till old fossils like herself and some of the more stubborn elders finally shuffled loose the mortal coil before younger minds could really begin to institute any large changes.

But she was certain that the blind duck at the Nekohanten would be glad to know that he was no longer an outcast because of his skills. It was a small thing, but she was certain that Mousse would appreciate it for what it meant for him and all Amazon males like him.

She finally found herself standing before her restaurant. It had been quite some time since she had been here, at least it felt that way to her old bones. She certainly hoped that Shampoo had taped all her shows for her.

Wait a moment. The restaurant had the closed sign hanging in the door. But it was the middle of the _lunch rush_! Was that great-granddaughter of hers _slacking off_? That would _not do_ at all; she'd have to drill the young warrior about the merits of not closing a business during peak hours.

She pulled out her key and unlocked the front door. A moment later she found herself in the darkened restaurant.

"Shampoo! Mousse! Where are you children hiding?" she called out.

Hmm, no reply. A quick tour around the restaurant revealed that the entire building was empty, had been empty for a week, if her guess was correct. And unless she was mistaken, there were the signs of a minor scuffle here and there, but nothing notable.

Likely her future son-in-law was involved, somehow; Mousse had vanished for several weeks during the whole Herb affair. That had been an annoyance, losing their waiter and dishwasher like that.

With that in mind, she made her way to the infamous Tendo dojo. It seemed that most of the madness that surrounded this small suburb seemed to revolve around that place in one way or another. A short bout of roof hopping later and she found herself in the Tendo's backyard.

It seemed quiet here, as well, but it didn't have the same abandoned feel that her restaurant had. She crept forward slowly to the sliding door, noticing a large patchwork of wood covering a hole to the left side of the door. That was well within the norm for this place though.

Stealthily she slid the door open a crack and peaked in –

Only to have the door open forcefully and a hand reach out to grab her!

A quick flip soon revealed her future son-in-law lying painfully on the grass of the Tendo's lawn.

"You're still a hundred years too young to catch me _that easily_ , sonny boy," she chortled loudly.

The boy sat up, a look of recognition and elation on his face. A veritable stampede of footsteps later and she found herself surrounded by people. The two older fools, Genma and Soun were there. Akane, of course, looking distraught for some reason. Shampoo, Ukyou, Kodachi and the young ninja that followed Ukyou around, they were all there as well.

There were some rather noticeable absences. Odd that. Still, she stared at the unusual assembly around her. They didn't usually get this many people in one place without causing massive destruction unless something important was going on.

"Well son-in-law, tell me what fool thing you've done now that has caused everyone to gather under your roof like this," she asked, already exasperated. Maybe it wasn't too late to head back to the village after all.

The boy glared at her before shrugging it off and looking worried again. "I didn't do nuthin’ this time, Old Ghoul. Kasumi, Nabiki, Mousse and Kunou, they all got _kidnapped_ a week or ago. We're here tryin to figure out where to start looking for them," he explained for her.

Kidnapping? Hmm, also not that unusual considering the neighborhood, but unusual choices, that much was certain. The kidnappers must have had some skill as well, capturing Mousse, not only that but to have disappeared over a week ago and still having Ranma and his friends sitting confused about their whereabouts. It usually only took the fool boy till the next day to charge out recklessly to save his kidnapped fiancée.

Her eyes narrowed in consideration. "Well, what can you tell me about your kidnappers, Ranma? Do you have any clues about who could have taken everyone?" she asked the cursed boy.

He nodded. "We got a few things, but nothing that's helped us so far. First thing, and you're not gonna _believe this_ , but _Ryouga_ was with them! He musta gone crazy or something when Akane booted him outta the dojo and came back for revenge," he barked angrily.

The young Tendo beside him was nearly in tears at the revelation.

"It's all my _fault_ ," cried the young girl.

Cologne felt her eyes widen to dinner plates! Ryouga, kidnapping people? Going crazy from rejection? Not from what _she_ had seen!

"That cannot be, Ranma! The lost boy was in my village just a few weeks ago, he spent over two weeks there training with me. He was distraught over Akane's rejection certainly, but we worked past that with the help of his new friends. I find it impossible to believe that he would perform such an act after all he had just been through," she explained to the group before her.

"Lost boy train in Amazon village?" asked Shampoo. Cologne ignored the useless question.

Ranma moved forward. "Wait, you said Ryouga had new friends! When he showed up here, Pops said he had a girl with him, and she had unusual powers."

The older Saotome interrupted. "Indeed, Ryouga, and the girl who he claimed to be his fiancée, they said they were recruiting new students for some reason."

"The girl, who was the _girl_?" urged the aged Matriarch.

"Hmm, let me recall, she was unusual for certain, she wore dark clothing and had pale grayish skin. She helped the boy defeat Tendo and me with her unusual powers," Genma told her.

Hmm, that sounded very much like the young Raven. But why would the two of them be doing this? She had sensed no malevolent motives from the girl, and after spending two weeks with the girl, she found it hard to believe Raven could have hid it from her.

The useless old panda continued. "Of course, her eyes struck me as the strangest, slit like a cat's eyes and bright pink, not natural at all." She noticed her future son-in-law shudder at the description.

Pink eyes? Raven had violet eyes, like her hair. Hmm, so it was someone different that had worked with Ryouga. That put her back to square one, and she still couldn't determine why Ryouga would kidnap the two Tendo sisters, it didn't make any sense.

"What else did you find then?" she asked Ranma.

"Well, while Ryouga was kidnapping Kasumi and Nabiki; Shampoo and Ukyou were attacked too, but they didn't have any trouble beating their attackers," he informed her.

"Yes, too-too-many-man, him no fight at all, but fill up whole restaurant. Too-too-many-man also wear strange clothes, all red and body tight," added Shampoo.

Ukyou nodded as well. "Yeah, the guy that attacked me, he couldn't fight that well, and he was wearing a spandex outfit too. Definitely not a martial artist that was for sure."

Then Ranma dug into his pocket and dug out something small and handed to her. "They left this too, Cologne. I think it's the underground martial artist cult that Ryouga's working for now," he explained.

Cologne looked at the small slip of paper in her hand. It was a business card of some sort, a hexagon, with an H in the center.

"Hm, fascinating," she stated as she considered the strange symbols.

"You know who they are?" asked an excited Akane.

Cologne stared at the card for a moment longer, deep in thought.

"I have no idea. I have never heard of any martial arts group to ever use this name or symbol before," she stated solemnly.

She watched as the faces of everyone in the room fell at her declaration. Even she had to admit things looked bad. An unknown group had somehow enlisted the lost boy, then used him to locate other people to capture. And the group hadn't left anything they could use to track them. No recognizable names, no familiar fighting styles used, no vague threats left behind to ward off pursuit.

With a heavy heart she admitted. "I have never heard of the H.A.E.Y.P before and have no idea where they could be located. I'm – I'm not sure what we should do here."

Ranma shook his head seriously even as he held the distraught Tendo girl close to him.

"This is bad, very bad."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is bad, _very bad_ ," whispered Ryouga as she dragged him through the old church that sat upon the underground H.I.V.E academy.

"Seriously, Jinx, we could get in trouble. We're not supposed to leave the facility," he whispered to her again, sounding somewhat nervous now.

"Shut up and stop being such a sissy, Ryouga, it's not like the Headmaster is gonna expel us or anything for breaking a stupid little rule like this," she whispered to the darkly clad boy clinging to her hand as she led him up to the second story of the old church. It had been abandoned for decades before the academy had even been built, or so she had heard anyway.

After they had reached the second floor, she quickly led him through the familiar structure to her favorite hideout. She figured it used to be the old bedroom of the bishop or whoever that used to run the place. All the furniture was long since gone, but she had snuck up some bare necessities, like a small mattress, some lamps, and some general other stuff. The young sorceress loved to come up here to get away from her annoying classmates from time to time.

As soon as she entered the room, she pulled the lost boy in and spun him around so that he flopped down on the mattress. She quickly sat beside him, a modest amount of space between them.

"Besides, ya big goof, we're never gonna get any privacy down in the school with all those losers running around," she told him airily. She gave him a Cheshire smile, amused at the blush that suddenly blossomed on her cute companion's face.

"B-b-but, Jinx. We-we're too young for anything like **that** ," he whispered, stuttering badly now.

She rolled her catlike eyes. "I didn't bring you up here for **that**. Jeez, Angel was right; you guys _do_ only have one thing on your mind! I just wanted to spend some time with you away from those Tendo girls and everyone else," she scolded/admitted to him.

The fanged boy rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm not always thinking about **that** , y-you just caught me off guard that's all. Besides, it's not like I hang out with Nabiki all the time, and Kasumi is always hanging out with the walking throw rug." He glared as he referred to her partner in crime Mammoth.

She just wished she knew why he didn't get along with her other friend. It was kind of annoying. Oh well, whatever, it wasn't like she didn't want to hex Mammoth herself half the time.

She slid over and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder. She felt him tense up like a coiled piece of steel for a moment, but eventually he relaxed into her hold. The terminally shy boy even dug up the nerve from somewhere to drop an arm around her shoulder.

Jinx smiled to herself, it felt so right here, just _being here_. She wanted it to be just like this, forever. It might not be real, but it was the best she had ever had. And if the Matrix had taught her anything, it was that sometimes what you experienced was more important than what you knew.

Slowly she closed her eyes and nuzzled her head into the dark fabric covering the dark fighter's shoulder.

It was the only way to make sure he didn't see the tears flowing from her pink hued eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg crammed yet another slice of pizza into his gaping maw. _Argh,_ only eight more pizzas to go, then he'd move on to the subs. He tapped a metal hand against his stomach, forcing a massive belch to blast forth.

"Heh heh, _nice one_ , dude!" came the weak voice of his green hued friend sitting next to him.

"A most glorious display!" cheered Starfire from across the table.

" _gggllghghg"_ moaned Raven from her side of the table. She had apparently eaten herself into some form of coma. Heh, that would teach her to get into an eating contest with the rest of them, she didn't have _nearly_ the training to compete!

Robin was off sitting before the TV eating some of the seafood platter. He had stated that he should get rid of it, since it would probably go bad first. Cyborg was sure that Robin's utility belt was straining badly, that platter had been for _twenty people_ and Robin had put a good dent in it.

Cyborg gave Beast Boy a high five. "Man, BB, I wish people would prank us more often! This is the bomb, y'all!" he crowed, enjoying the meal thoroughly.

Starfire sprayed a liberal layer of mustard on another slice of pizza before ingesting the unusual combination.

"Mmmmm, yes, this ‘Prank Delivery’, it is some form of reward from our thankful citizens for the help we provide them?" she asked, in the midst of her mustard induced bliss.

Robin slid up the couch until he could flip his head over the back to look at the table's occupants. "Not exactly, Star, someone was trying to play a trick on us, but hey, now we don't have to go grocery shopping for a few weeks at least." The masked boy smirked from his upside-down position.

Starfire smiled happily. "This form of the trick is much preferable to the type that **some** people initiate," she said, looking pointedly at Beast Boy.

The changeling only giggled nervously before stuffing his mouth with another slice of pizza.

"Mmph, phouldnph pfwee doof sumphfin bout Rwraphen?" asked the changeling, mouth still full of pizza.

Cyborg stared at his friend in confusion. "Dawg, _chew_ your food, I got no idea what you just said," he admonished his rude little buddy.

A moment later, after some vigorous chewing and swallowing BB repeated himself. "I was _saying_ , what do we do about Raven? I think she's drowning in food or something," asked the concerned Titan.

Starfire smiled. "Worry not friends, I shall transport our comatose friend to her bed of resting so that she might sleep away the excessive amounts of food she has consumed," offered the helpful alien girl.

With that, she floated over, picked up Raven and glided to the central elevator.

That was probably for the best. Cyborg was sure a good rest would help their dark friend. She was still feelin down since none of them had heard from Hibiki since they had left him back in China. He knew the lost boy would show up eventually, Ryouga seemed like the kind of guy that kept his word.

Cyborg just hoped something exciting would happen soon to take her mind off it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster looked at the assembled class before him. He was extremely proud of how his class had grown over the past several weeks. There were, of course, his original eleven students, from Angel to XL Terrestrial. But now six new students bolstered their ranks. Kunou and Happosai were both present, as well, though Mousse was still at his secondary facility.

Of the new students, Ryouga and Nabiki both stood out exceptionally. Ryouga was not only an exceptional fighter, but the Headmaster had managed to bind him to one of his most trustworthy students. He was also much more sensible than the Kunou boy or Happosai; those two were highly unstable, despite their tremendous skills.

But Nabiki, yes, she would make a grand addition to their ranks, she was as brilliant as she was cold hearted and ruthless. Yes, between the raw talent that Ryouga and his friends brought, and Nabiki's cruel genius, the Headmaster was certain the city would fall to him with the greatest of ease.

All that was needed now was a test, a test to see if his new students would live up the expectations that he had placed upon them. However, he felt certain that with the resources now available to them, there was no way they could fail.

"Class, I have called you all together for an especially important reason," he began grandly, "It is time for the class project, and I have chosen a most difficult challenge."

He pointed to Nabiki, singling her out.

"Nabiki, I am placing you in charge of plotting the class assignment, you have all of the H.I.V.E's resources to work with and I want you to try to utilize as many of your classmates as possible," he explained.

The girl in question nodded cockily, she had obviously seen this coming. She was a smart girl, after all. All the students surrounding her started to whisper among themselves excitedly. It appeared they were all behind the idea of Nabiki forming the plans for them, after seeing her first project; they probably couldn't wait to see what she would think up next.

"The class project is this," He declared.

"The capture of the Teen Titans!"


	10. Down and Dirty

I don't own the Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you wont.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A twig snapped outside his campsite.

Instantly the lost boy was on his feet, umbrella at the ready. He slowly scanned the area around him. It didn't take him long to sense the figure that calmly strode into the illumination his fire provided.

The man was tall, taller than Ryouga, and older as well. His hair was gray and receding but swept back into two points. He wore a long dark robe which concealed most of his frame.

"Greetings, Hibiki Ryouga," the gentleman said.

He glared at the older man intently. "How the hell did you know my name?"

"Oh, I've learned a _number_ of things about you, young Hibiki," declared the oddly dressed man in an ominous tone.

A low growl rattled in his throat.

"Like I care, tell me what you want before I send you on your way, forcefully if need be," he barked threateningly.

"You may call me Headmaster, as to why I am here…" began the self-proclaimed Headmaster.

"I would like to be the first to welcome you to the illustrious HIVE academy."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga didn't like the sound of that. Whoever this old man was, his aura oozed with malevolence. Not even Happosai gave off an aura of this nature; sure the old pervert' s aura was significantly more powerful, but even at his worst, the ancient master was just an annoyance.

He shifted back a few inches, putting some space between himself and the imposing intruder.

"I don't know what this Hive academy is, but there's no way that I' m going with you, old man," he barked defiantly at the calm figure before him. The Lost Boy further emphasized his point by raising his umbrella before him and angling it towards his opponent.

The man sneered at the display, raising his chin haughtily. "My dear boy, I am not making you an offer, rather I am telling you what is to be."

Ryouga studied the man intently, but the robes he was wearing were too concealing, it made it difficult to gauge the stranger's conditioning. "Bastard! No one threatens Hibiki Ryouga!"

The Headmaster smiled wickedly. "I don't make threats, Mr. Hibiki.” He then settled back, favoring his back leg in a very minimal fighting stance. “Now, let us begin your interview, after all we need to make sure that you're actually worthy of joining my school."

With that the tall stranger raised a hand and waved Ryouga in with his fingers.

A feral growl welled up in his throat as he charged the Headmaster. He’d had enough of the old fool's babbling. It was time to teach him why no one trifled with a Hibiki on the road!

A horizontal slash of his umbrella tore the air asunder; a strike with enough power demolish concrete! He felt a flare of victory as the crimson canopy connected with the man's side... only to crash into surprise as his umbrella met no resistance, inexplicably empty robes wrapping around his weapon.

He spun with the momentum and rolled to the side, avoiding a thunderous dropkick. An explosion of earth and stone pelted him, but he was used to casual collateral damage.

A quick flick of his weapon sent the robes flying into the fire, and Ryouga then took a moment to reassess his opponent. The stranger stood in the shallow crater left from his attack; judging by the destruction, he was clearly more skilled than he appeared.

The old man - not that old, apparently- turned to face him with dramatic slowness. Now that his robes were gone, the Headmaster wore what appeared to be a blood red combination of a skin-tight body suit and an abbreviated form of his robes, leaving his arms and legs free to fight. Also, he’d donned a pair of metallic clawed gauntlets in the instant Ryouga had lost track of him.

The Hibiki scion wasn't sure why that seemed important, but it struck him as odd.

The Headmaster was in good shape for an older guy, and that jump had been impressive, especially given the lack of any noticeable aura. The dastardly intruder leaned back into his combat stance again, but Ryouga still couldn't recognize the style.

With a casual air, the Headmaster waved Ryouga to come at him again.

He was only too happy to oblige. Turf exploded as he launched himself forward, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Focusing his fighting spirit to a razor's edge, the world slowed to a crawl. He dipped in with his umbrella low for a rising diagonal slash; it would give the wily old man less chance to leap over it.

There was no way the old man could dodge!

His battle cry echoed, and his umbrella lashed out. The ground shattered and the air cracked as his weapon careened toward his opponent.

And stared in shock.

His weapon slid harmlessly through the air, The Headmaster already leaning out of its path long before it reached him.

I-It was _impossible_. It shouldn’t be possible for someone like the Headmaster to keep up to him. He didn't even have a battle aura, his chi was unfocused and weak. Every instinct that Ryouga possessed told him this man would be lucky to win a fist fight with Gosunkugi!

The gray-haired man gave him a sly smirk in response, before his right hand shot out in a blur. Along its short trip to the Lost Boy's chest, a glowing crimson circular plane of force appeared before the man's open palm strike.

The absolute absence of killing intent in the attack baffled his instincts, allowing the sudden strike to hit home. He felt his chest rattle and blood splatter his lips as the deceptively slow strike slammed into his ribs. Despite how weak the strike had appeared, it landed with a force just shy of that hit from _Mammoth_.

The breath was blasted from his lungs as the strike _kept pushing_ , plucking him from his feet and sending him hurtling across the landscape. He crashed heavily through one tree then ricocheted off another before smashing into an outcropping of rocks.

Dragging himself out of the shattered rubble that half buried him, he idly wiped a hand across his mouth. When he drew it back, he saw the scarlet color of his own blood. Embarrassment and fury bucked for control as his vision began to tinge a similar shade of red.

Ryouga grabbed another boulder, his fingers splintering and digging into the stone as he tore it from the ground.

"Prepare to die, _you bastard_!"

The multi-ton slab of stone caused the air to shriek as it hurtled toward the Headmaster.

If the Headmaster was impressed with the feat, he hid it well. Rather than dodge, or run, as any sane person would, the old man simply looked to the side in amusement. As the shadow of the small landmass encompassed him, he simply flicked a hand up before him, index finger extended.

An arc of expanding crimson energy surged forth from the trail his finger cut, crackling with white lightning.

Ryouga could only stare in shock as the deadly attack cleaved the boulder in half, both massive slabs of shrapnel bouncing harmlessly past the Headmaster. The burning slash of raw power soared into the distance, bisecting other trees and boulders before vanishing into the darkness. A quick glimpse at the split boulder revealed the reflective sheen of polished stone along the surface of the cut.

His breath came in short gasps as he stared, aghast, at the Headmaster. That attack, it was like something _Herb_ was capable of. And yet he still couldn’t feel a trace of battle aura _or_ killing intent! 

He _had_ to close in; this guy would cut him to ribbons if he tried to fight at range. As bad as the hammer strike blow was, it was _nothing_ compared to those death crescents. He charged in again, this time cautious of his opponent and wary of any other surprises his mysterious foe might have up his sleeves.

His enemy was content to let him close the distance.

Ryouga leveled a haymaker at the Headmaster's jaw, only to wince as his fist crashed into another of those strange planes of crimson force and stopped dead. He didn't understand how the construct was able to stop his attack so utterly. Even if the disc was indestructible, he it should have been crushed through the old man’s chest, judging by his build.

He pivoted to the side as a pair of extended fingers glowing with deadly crimson energy sizzled through the air his heart had just been occupying.

Determined to seize the initiative, he thrust out with his umbrella, only for the Headmaster to seemingly _glide_ backwards out of reach before it could make contact. He followed it by a lightning fast snap kick which was avoided by the most meager of leans to the side. Punch, kick, elbow, headbutt, each one was foiled with equal ease; well except for the bloody nose he’d been gifted as he ploughed his face directly into another of those damned crimson discs.

Bafflingly, the Headmaster was _not_ that fast. True, he was moving at almost normal speed even as the rest of the world slid by in slow motion. But he wasn't even as fast as Ryouga himself, let alone Ranma.

And yet the old man seemed to slide out of the way of his attacks like a mote of dust in the air. And Ryouga was hard pressed to avoid the man's attacks in turn. It was like they were aimed at where he was going to be, rather than at where he was.

His growing rage getting the better of him, Ryouga dove forward recklessly, and surprised even himself by managing to grab both of the Headmaster's brilliantly burning wrists. He felt the skin of his palms begin to blister and burn from the contact, but pain was something that the wanderer had long since grown accustomed to.

He lifted his leg and prepared to blast a hole through the Headmaster's torso with the terrifying strength his legs possessed. The old man struggled vainly to escape the Lost Boy's grip, but his efforts had no strength. Ryouga could see the fear forming in the villain's eyes.

Ryouga lashed out, his leg cracking the air like a whip... only to fall backwards as his leg met nothing but air.

The Headmaster had _vanished_! The loss of his hand holds combined with the force of his kick had thrown the Lost Boy completely off balance. How had that _happened_? _No one_ was that fast. And he _knew_ he hadn’t lost his grip, the old man just disappeared.

He scrambled to the side, scooping up his discarded umbrella, just in time to avoid another crimson crescent of energy that collided concussively with the ground. Only the crackling hiss as it burned through the air and the glow over his shoulder had saved his life, his _sakkijutsu_ still refused to react to the obviously lethal attacks.

The fanged martial artist quickly flipped to his feet and located his opponent standing some twenty yards away. How had he gotten so far so fast?

"Well, Mr. Hibiki, I believe you have passed the basic combat requirements, if only barely." The old man sneered condescendingly. "But I have yet to be truly impressed; perhaps I' m not giving you enough incentive? Maybe a more lethal introduction to my psychic powers is in order."

With that, the Headmaster simply lifted his hand and pointed at him, like a child playing cops and robber. In an instant, red lightning crackled down the length of his arm and a pencil-thin beam of scorching energy lanced out, straight at Ryouga's heart. The lost boy spun tightly to his right, the beam only burning a shallow gash in his shoulder.

This was getting out of control; the old man had abilities he’d _never_ encountered before.

Wait, was _that_ what was going on? Psychic powers? Was he reading Ryouga's moves before he could even make them? No _wonder_ he was able to keep one step ahead the entire fight. Maybe it even explained why he couldn’t sense any of his enemy’s attacks.

It didn't help him now.

The Lost Boy needed to think of a way to defend himself. 

Or… _did he_? Maybe _that_ was the _problem_? Wouldn’t that be the height of irony? 

It was just insane enough to work. If he stopped fighting with his head, like Cologne had drilled into him, and fought with his heart, like he did against Ranma, maybe the old man wouldn't be able to read his moves nearly as well! Heck, Ryouga hardly thought at all when he fought his bitter rival.

He nimbly dodged another crescent of death, gaining a few feet on the gray-haired villain. How to close the distance without getting fileted? A shield... that was it! He snapped open his umbrella.

As quickly as his body would allow, he started channeling chi into the weapon, fortifying it with his Iron Cloth Technique. He kept funneling chi into the umbrella until he thought it might combust; as it was the weapon was growing ponderously heavy, even for him.

Recklessly he charged forward, umbrella leading like the engine of a locomotive, azure wisps of excess chi floating off the weapon like the tail of a comet. With this much power infused into his umbrella he doubted even a full power Mouko Takabisha could penetrate it.

He tried to banish all thought, let his fury guide him. It felt natural falling back into old patterns, losing himself to his rage was like riding a bicycle

He saw the Headmaster whip his hand up once more, launching another slash of crimson energy his way. He strained to force even more of his life force into the implement before him. His usually red umbrella was a virtual beacon of azure to him now. He narrowed his eyes further, watching the crescent approach his umbrella... closer... closer.

His eyes flew wide open in shock.

The narrow blade of scarlet death passed through the canopy of his umbrella without slowing. Ryouga could only watch numbly as the red circle of paper and bamboo split neatly, as if cut with a knife, the section no longer connected to the handle falling lazily to the ground. He couldn't do anything, save watch as the razor of crackling energy slid through his umbrella and buried itself into his torso.

 _Red_. Everything was _red._ He blinked several times, clearing the offensive liquid from his eyes. He was on his back, looking up at the stars. Idly his mind drifted back to his nights under the stars with Raven, these stars were just like those.

He could feel the trauma inflicted on his body. Running from his right shoulder all the way to his waist, he could feel the crackle of residual and unfamiliar energy burning his skin. The wind sparked against exposed nerves, inciting agony all along his core. The fanged boy couldn't tell how badly he was hurt, couldn't tell how deep the wound was carved into his flesh. All he could smell was the blood oozing like a scarlet river to the ground around him.

Slowly he lifted his right arm, painted red along its entire length. At least he could feel it, knew it worked. The attack hadn't crippled him, not that it mattered. This fight was over for him. He couldn't even move; every twitch birthed a new world of pain.

A dark figure towered over him, he could barely make it out with his fading vision, but the energy he sensed was sharp and familiar now.

"You are a greater fool than I had believed boy, what did you think that umbrella would do for you after you watched me slash a slab of stone to pieces at my whim?" asked the figure, Ryouga could hear the mix of disgust and disappointment in the man's voice.

A wet chuckle escaped his lips; he had even managed to disappoint someone that was trying to kill him, he really _was_ pathetic. What had happened though? The attack had passed through his umbrella like it hadn't even existed; the chi hardening hadn’t done a _damn_ thing…

"At first, I thought to recruit you, young fool. But now, perhaps it is a more fitting fate that I leave you here to die in a pool of your own incompetence and failure," taunted the villain that loomed over him.

Yes, Ryouga had always secretly feared this would be the way he died; defeated, crushed by another, dying alone without even his honor to comfort him. It did seem a fitting fate after all the wrong he had done in his life, to Akane, to Ranma, to himself. He doubted anyone would even notice if he never appeared again.

"My only regret is that I won't be able to use you to crush those pathetic Titans. I suppose I will just have to make them suffer all the more for the disappointment you’ve caused me.” The Headmaster grinned hatefully. “Yes, they will suffer. Every... last... one."

 _No!_ Not Raven! He _refused_ to let this _mad man_ hurt the last person that cared for him! Struggling against the torture that his body was enduring, he pulled in his chi. All of it and then _more_.

The world began to blur with azure light, but the Headmaster didn’t react in the slightest. 

Wait! _That_ was it! The Headmaster's attack had passed through his chi like nothing. The two energies hadn't interacted at all. His chi and the Headmaster's psychic energy, for some reason they were incompatible. The cruel monster probably wasn't even aware of chi, likely couldn't sense it.

He was surprisingly comfortable with the final course of action that revealed itself. After all, he was going to die, alone and hopeless. This bastard before him was going to torture his new and precious friends; he was going to make them suffer because of _him_! The old man, he – he... he was going to _murder Raven_!

He _was_ going to die, but that didn’t mean he had to make the trip alone.

The gray-haired monster stepped forward, grinding a boot into the long gash that covered his chest, nearly causing Ryouga to pass out from the pain.

"Well, boy, any last words before you leave this world?"

Ryouga snarled loudly, lifting his head as his injury allowed.

"Just this old man... _I'll see you in hell_!"

" _ULTIMATE **SHI SHI HOUKODAN**_!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga awoke with a start. He looked around, panic gripping his mind. Where was he? Why didn't he recognize anything? What had he just been dreaming about? He - he couldn't remember anything. He wiped away the cold sweat that plastered his brow.

" _Hmm_... um... Ryouga? What's wrong?" came a quiet and sleep filled voice from beside him. He backed up against the cold stone wall in shock. He looked down at the girl beside him... and slowly memories began to filter in.

 _Jinx_ , yes it was Jinx beside him. He let out a long, shuddering sigh. They were still in her secret room in the church that camouflaged the Hive academy. They must have fallen asleep after talking for some time. Slowly, he let a smile slide onto his face and lowered one of his hands to brush some loose hairs from the beautiful sorceress' face.

"Nothing, Jinx, I guess I just had a nightmare. I can't even remember it now, though, nothing to worry about," he told her calmly. He leaned back again, breathing deeply as the adrenaline flowed from his veins.

Only to wince in pain. His lovely companion noticed his recoil. Slowly she raised his shirt, revealing the taut skin below. He looked to the side, hiding his blush at the intimacy. He felt a soft finger run down the side of his stomach, eliciting small pangs of pain.

The lost boy looked down to the angry scar that ran down the side of his abdomen, it looked like it was still healing, it must have been a pretty bad wound if it hadn't healed almost overnight.

When had he gotten that scar? Nothing registered, how could that be, though? A wound that bad and he didn't even know how he got it?

He heard a gasp from the girl sitting beside him. "Does it hurt?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. She looked up slowly, her gaze encompassing him.

He smiled wryly and shook his head. "Not at all. It takes more than a little scratch like this to hurt Hibiki Ryouga," he boasted lightly.

His smile grew more as he watched her roll her eyes at his bravado. Nervously he wrapped an arm around the pale girl and pulled her close to him. He felt her warmth mingle with his own, felt the electric tingle of her finger tracing the scar on his stomach.

As long as he had her, it didn't matter if nothing ever made sense again.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki looked over the various schematics and blueprints before her once again. Admittedly, her plan was a simple one, but simple plans often had the best chance of working. The more intricate a plan was just meant that there were that more many things that could and likely would go wrong.

Besides, she had a wealth of information to work with. The Hive reports, stating the recorded abilities and attributes of her prey. News reports stating the past exploits of the Titans. Even a few firsthand reports from some people that had faced the Titans before.

Jinx, Gizmo and Mammoth had been especially helpful. They had revealed one thing that had interested her greatly. And after cross referencing that one piece of information against recent news reports concerning the Titans and several interesting rumors that persisted on the internet, she had formed this plan.

It was a bit of a low blow, but she wasn't trying to win a popularity contest here.

"Hey Boss, whatcha working on?" came the high-pitched voice of the miniature genius that she had talked into helping with the project. He was really an interesting kid, using his brains instead of his fists like pretty much every other male in Nabiki's life.

She turned to the green clad genius and greeted him with a playful smirk. "Oh, nothing too big, Gizmo, just planning a little technology heist."

The small boy rubbed a hand over his bald head. "Huh? But I thought you were supposed to be working on catching those snot blasting Titans?" he asked, slightly confused.

She arched an eyebrow at that. "You aren't questioning me are you little man?" she asked teasingly.

Gizmo smiled and laughed. At least he was smart enough to catch the playful tone to her question. Most of the people she was used to dealing with weren't.

"No way, Boss, I just wanted to see you in action. Watching you work is like watching an artist or a master or something. I mean, I' m a ninth-level intellect when it comes to machines, but what you do is like an art form," complimented the tiny villain.

The mercenary girl smiled at that. No one at home ever appreciated her schemes or her rackets. Granted, she _may_ have gone a bit overboard… maybe _once or twice_. Honestly, you sell one guy to a few fiancée’s, and suddenly _you’re_ the bad guy. It annoyed her to know that her true talent was looked down on by her family. They just tolerated her, all the while condemning her behind her back.

She reached out and patted the small genius' head. "Thanks Gizmo, that actually means a lot to me. Of course, if you ever tell anyone I said that, they'll never find the body."

Gizmo chuckled. "And lose my preferred customer status? Not a chance. I' m just trying to figure out how we got by without a mastermind like you before."

"Well I'd hardly call myself a mastermind, I've just got a lot more to work with here than I did back home. Back there the best I could do was betting pools on fights and selling pictures of my sister to the local pervert," she admitted sheepishly.

The diminutive genius' eyes widened at that. "You sold pictures of your own sister?"

"Pfft, it was the only thing she did to contribute to the household. Besides, I had to work small, I didn't want to get arrested. Of course, now that I' m in the heart of a secret base and surrounded by an army of super villains, that doesn't seem to be quite as much of a concern.” She let out an honest laugh. “Yes, I think that getting kidnapped and having our minds altered by the Headmaster was actually a blessing in disguise."

"What! You know what he did to you? How did you figure it out?" asked the shocked boy.

She scoffed lightly at that. "I might not be a ninth-level intellect – whatever _that_ is - but it wasn't too difficult to figure out. My inhibitions have been much lower than when I was back in Nerima, things that I wouldn't have considered back then don' t even bother me now,” she admitted to Gizmo. She tapped her chin in thought. “I think it's actually a good thing for Kasumi, too. She was a virtual _slave_ to our father; I think a little freedom is the best thing that could have happened to her."

"Wow, that's pretty cool, I' m surprised that you're so calm about being controlled like that, though. I mean, I've gotten kinda used to it now, I figured it out a while ago too, but there isn't much I can do about it," lamented the small villain.

"Well, for now it's an ideal arrangement. I get access to money, equipment, personnel. And I get to do whatever I want. Doing a few jobs for the Headmaster seems like a decent exchange for that, at least until I've learned enough at this academy that I' m confident to go out on my own. _Then_ we'll see how effective this brainwashing thing _really_ is," she stated confidently.

The boy nodded. "Heh, if _anyone_ can shake off the Headmaster I' m sure it would be you."

She smiled again, Gizmo was a good kid, relatively speaking anyway, and darn useful to boot. She'd definitely have to take him with her when she set out on her own. His mechanical aptitude would be invaluable to her future schemes.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I know he didn't use nearly as thorough a treatment on me as he did on Ryouga, so I don' t think his hold over me is as strong," she confided in her companion. She felt _fairly_ confident in that, anyway.

Gizmo seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding in silent agreement.

"So, is there anything else I can do for you at the moment, Gizmo, or can I get back to work?" she asked politely.

He seemed to consider this for a moment as well. Slowly a blush rose on the small boys’ cheeks. "Umm. Well I don't suppose you're still in the whole picture business, are you?" he asked hesitantly.

 _Aw_ , how adorable. She leaned back comfortably, getting into her usual bargaining pose. " _Well_ , since you **are** a preferred customer, I _might_ be able to help you. So, who are you interested in getting pictures of, Angel? Bumble Bee? Jinx? I'm not sure Mammoth would be happy if you asked for any pictures of Kasumi though."

The little man shook his head nervously. “None of the above," he nearly whispered.

Her eyes widened at that. Well, well, well, that was a first... still she didn't really see the harm. It wasn't like Gizmo was as bad as most of the other guys she knew. She leaned forward teasingly. "Now Gizmo, you _naughty_ boy. I think I might be able to put together some pictures for you, tasteful of course. But such... unique works will be expensive."

Gizmo smiled, pointing to the pack on his back. "I might not have a lot of money, but I think I might have some equally unique works to trade."

He _was_ smart, and his inventions were something you couldn't pick up on any store shelf.

"Alright little man, you have a deal." She then patted his bald head again.

"Heh, you come back when you hit puberty, then maybe we'll have something else to talk about," she told him coquettishly She then sent the badly blushing boy on his way. Boys were so easy to tease, but it was so much fun.

Oh well, back to work, she had to start assigning roles.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster stood off to the side, watching as Nabiki explained her latest plot to the class. Even he had to admit that the scheme was diabolical in its simplicity; and underhanded too. The girl had really done her homework, and she really seemed to believe in the old motto "Know thy enemies, know thyself." He smiled widely; Nabiki was really coming along.

"So, everyone knows their respective roles?" asked the domineering brunette standing before the class. She looked to the small groups she had formed. See-more and Kyd Wykkyd formed her first team. Billy Numerous and Ryouga formed the second team. The rest of the students were set to run interference, except for Kasumi and Kunou who were staying behind to watch the base, in the unlikely event of an enemy attack.

Everyone was nodding, satisfied with their roles.

"Tendo Nabiki, I _insist_ that you grace my noble self with the keynote role in this mission, why do you give the honor to this base knave!" crowed the insulted kendoist.

Okay, everyone but _Kunou_.

Ryouga growled, being the knave that Kunou was referring to. Nabiki had given him the most important role in the mission, and the Headmaster agreed with her judgment completely, his skills were well suited to his role.

"Kunou, for the fifth time, you can't play that role because you're totally unsuited for it! I can't have you running around yelling your head off and waving your sword around, it would destroy the plan completely!" she repeated, her annoyance with the swordsman obvious.

Rather than have the two argue back and forth all night, which they seemed prepared to do, the Headmaster chose to intervene. His eyes flared red with power as he exerted his will over Kunou's and slowly the swordsman's eyes glazed over with the same red energy and he lost his will to debate the plan.

Nabiki looked over in his direction and nodded in thanks for his help.

"Alright everyone, you know what we're doing. The plan is child's play, which is why it should work perfectly. If there's no outside interference from some completely unforeseen third party, we should be back in time for the midnight movie marathon people," explained the middle Tendo sister, completely confident in her plan.

All her classmates cheered at her declaration, obviously sharing her confidence. Nabiki looked to him again and he nodded for her to proceed.

With a smile she turned back to her teammates.

"Alright, places everyone!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The T-Car screeched to a halt outside the STARS labs facility. The alarm had gone off only a few minutes ago, but Cyborg had got them there in record time. Whoever was doing this was _brave_ , STARS labs had some of the most advanced security in the world, not to mention how close it was to Titans Tower.

Robin quickly sprung from the vehicle and started forward. "Everyone, follow me and keep an eye out for our would-be criminals." With that he led the charge towards the front of the building. The glass doors that protected the main lobby were closed and looked undamaged. Of course, the 'glass' was anything but; Robin doubted anything short of a tank could scratch the surface of the transparent material.

Still, the alarm had come from the underground levels of the facility, which meant that if they wanted to catch the thieves, they were going to have to make an unfortunately noisy entrance. The boy wonder let out a small sigh, they sure seemed to have to create a lot of damage themselves sometimes.

"Starfire, Cyborg, get the doors!" he barked.

Both nodded at the order. Cyborg converted his sonic cannon even as Starfire's eyes began to burn with brilliant jade fire. A combined blast of blue sound waves and jade plasma shattered the doors like the glass they appeared to be.

Robin quickly led the Titans to the elevator. Calmly he pulled a small device from his belt and used it to hack the elevator, granting them access to the lower levels. A few moments later the door dinged pleasantly and slid open.

A swift elevator ride later and the five of them found themselves on the fifth level of the underground complex, where the alarm had originated from. How the thieves got so deep before being detected was a mystery. And there were almost no signs of combat either. A few guards lay crumpled against the walls in a few places, but most of them didn't even look like they cleared their weapons from their holsters.

Asides from the alarm blaring, it was unusually quiet, no sounds of a firefight, no yelling security forces, no cackling super villains.

"Dudes, what _happened_ here? It's like they got caught totally off guard," whispered Beast Boy.

Raven floated forward, nodding in agreement. "Something is odd though, I' m sensing something familiar, only lingering traces, but all I can tell is that it' s something that shouldn't be here," she added mysteriously.

Robin considered that, something strange _was_ going on here. He waved the others to follow him as he continued further into the complex. If he recalled from the floor plan, there was a large lab just down the hall. That was where the alarm had been triggered and it was possible the thieves were still there.

A moment later they found themselves before the large titanium door that sealed the laboratory. A quick inspection revealed that it hadn't been tampered with, and in fact was still locked. How did these guys expect to get out? Heck, how had they gotten _in_ without opening any of the doors on the way?

"Cyborg, can you hack this door? We can't blast it open and my security device isn't nearly as sophisticated as yours," he asked his cybernetic companion.

Cyborg came forward and unhooked a small cable from his arm. He then proceeded to plug the end of the cable into a port on the door controls. The large titan seemed to be considering the problem for a moment. "Yeah, I can get us in man; it'll just take a minute. You guys better get ready," explained the titanium titan.

At that Robin pulled several birdarangs and a fan of discs from his belt. He saw his companions get into their respective positions as well. They stood there like statues, patiently waiting, until finally a pleasant beeping sound heralded the unlocking of the door. With almost shocking swiftness the door split in half and slid open with a loud whoosh.

"Titans _Go_!" He then suited action to word and charged through the door.

They all stopped dead in their tracks only a few steps into the laboratory.

' _I-It can't be! He's **dead**! This… can't be happening_!'

But it was. Robin could hear the various gasps of shock from his friends behind him. The boy wonder felt his chest tighten painfully as buried memories suddenly surged to the surface.

The laboratory was filled with the sleek black and orange forms of over a dozen of Slade's robotic minions. They all stood, ominously silent, slightly hunched over and staring impassively at the gathered Titans. Each robot possessed sharpened talons and the familiar laser weapons they were so well known for.

"It-it cannot be!" gasped Starfire.

"But Terra finished him off!" yelled Beast Boy angrily.

Wait! Two of the robots, on the far end of the lab, they were doing something. Cutting into a security box with their lasers. That must be what they’re after. He could figure out the whys and how's later, first they had to stop the robotic minions.

"It doesn't matter! Take' em down, we'll sort it out afterwards!" he barked.

With that Robin leapt forward and vaulted over a table, angling directly to the two robots doing the cutting. The robot's lasers burned to life now, blasting out dangerously everywhere. Strangely Robin didn't have much trouble dodging the deadly beams at all as he gracefully twisted and flipped through the air. Either his training with Cologne had helped him more than he had thought, or these robots were lousy shots.

He heard the familiar sounds behind him of Cyborg's and Starfire's energy discharges. It didn't sound like they were holding back much against the robots at all. One last flip brought Robin to a stop before the two robots. It was at this moment that one of the two robots appeared to get frustrated with the slowness of the cutting and just reached into the jagged edge and ripped the door out entirely.

Robin had to flip to the side as the former door of the safe flew past his head. That probably would have stung. The robot that had torn off the door then reached into the box and grabbed something small and unidentifiable. The robot's counterpart jumped up and started firing randomly at Robin, trying to throw him off.

Taking advantage of the distraction, the first robot turned and fled for the door. It nimbly leapt and dodged through the various Titans and other robots with all the grace and agility that Robin had come to expect from the villainous machines. A quick scan of the battle seemed to show it was the only robot functioning normally.

Half of the dark clad machines were already littered across the floor, the rest seemed to be panicking and firing just to keep his friends away from them. The masked Titan knew that his friends could clean up this mess, but none of them had noticed the escaping robot.

Tired of the drone before him, he slid in through the hail of laser fire and planted a steel toed boot into the black clad machine’s sternum. The machine flew and crashed heavily into the wall.. had that robot just grunted? And he couldn't be sure, but he thought he might have heard something break that hadn't sounded like metal.

No time for that now. A quick handspring and roll took him to the far end of the lab. Down the hallway he saw the robot tear open the elevator doors with its bare hands. It then used its laser to cut a hole in the roof of the elevator and leap up out of sight.

Guess it wasn't a fan of the muzak.

Robin skidded to a stop in the elevator and looked up through the hole to see the robot leaping from wall to wall up the shaft. With his left hand, the boy wonder threw one of his discs at the robot even as he pulled his grappling hook with his right and fired it up the shaft.

The robot fired down the shaft and destroyed the disc but hadn't noticed the dark cord of his grappling hook. A few seconds later and Robin felt the powerful pull of his tool lifting him through the hole in the elevator and up towards the fleeing robot.

He saw he was quickly catching up to the jumping machine, but it had already passed the ground floor, it was heading to the roof. A moment later the robot used its laser to cut a circular slab from the roof. This had the unfortunate side effect of cutting his grappling cord.

Desperately the falling teen grabbed onto various piping and wiring on the side of the elevator shaft and pulled himself as close to the wall as possible. He felt the massive piece of masonry fall past him, only missing by a matter of inches. That had been way too close.

He looked up just in time to see his mysterious quarry leap through the hole and into the night air. With no more obstacles, Robin reloaded his grappling hook and used it to pull himself the rest of the way to the roof. A quick leap later and he found himself on the gravel covered roof of the building they had just been in.

He scanned the roof around him but couldn't find any sign of his prey. Wait! Footprints going east. He looked farther in that direction. There! On the next rooftop and moving fast, the escaping robot was fleeing via the high road.

There was no way that Robin was going to let the drone get away from him. If there was even a _chance_ that Slade was still alive, Robin was going to find out. Even if he had to rip it out of the robot’s memory circuits himself.

He chased the automaton frantically; occasionally he was forced to use his grappling hook to clear gaps that the machine cleared with ease. The chase seemed to go on forever, though in reality it was only about ten minutes or so. Robin felt his muscles start to ache from the hard chase, but he knew that he was nowhere near the end of his reserves; he'd chased down criminals a lot further than this.

Then without warning, the robot leapt from the rooftop, down into the alley below. The boy wonder didn't have time to use his hook, so he just grabbed a birdarang in both hands and leapt off the roof recklessly himself. He dug both weapons into the far wall and slid down the surface as the sharp blades cut through the brickwork, slowing his descent just enough for him to land safely.

Apparently, his haste hadn't been necessary. Waiting patiently for him in the alley was the sinister robot he had been chasing.

Robin took up his favoured fighting stance. "Tell me where Slade is, **now**!" he demanded of the silent machine. It just returned his look emotionlessly, not that he had expected anything else.

" _Yaah_!" With a loud battle cry, Robin charged his opponent leading with a powerful kick. The machine blocked the attack deftly and countered with a quick punch. Robin ducked under it, letting the fist continue and tear a chunk from the wall behind him. The boy wonder, now positioned to the side of the robot, unloaded a hail of strikes onto the robot’s lower back.

His victim stumbled forward slightly, but otherwise seemed unaffected. It then lashed out with a back kick that clipped Robin' s shoulder and sent him spinning into the wall. He quickly recovered and whipped out four electro discs. He threw the projectiles simultaneously and followed them in, pulling out his staff as he ran.

In a blindingly fast move, the robot caught all four discs between the fingers of his right hand and discarded them before they could detonate.

Damn! This robot must have been the inexplicably superior prototype model, it was light years beyond the one he had so easily dispatched in the lab.

Robin waded in, undeterred. His staff flashed out, nearly blurring at the machine. Once again it astounded him, dodging, or blocking with its forearms nearly faster than the masked boy could follow. Suddenly its clawed hand flashed out and slashed his staff in two, sending both halves flying.

Robin leapt back, just avoiding a follow up elbow to the temple. Something odd was going on. He was trashing these robots by the dozen when he had first met them. And that had been before his training with the Amazons. How was this single robot giving him so much trouble with his improved skills?

There was a hauntingly familiar feel to this fight as well. Still, it was time to end this battle, it was time to pull out his trump card. He didn't care how good the robot was, it was going down.

He moved forward and took a new stance, bringing all his focus to bear on the next few seconds.

The robot seemed confused by his actions. It stopped its advance, cocking its head slightly to the side as it watched him. Heh, all the better. He hoped the robot enjoyed this.

" _Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken_!" he yelled using the words to focus his mind, his arms flashing out faster than he could follow. A dozen, two, nearly a hundred strikes, all in the flash of an eye! He'd never moved so fast in his life. Finally, his strength failed him, and he collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. He hadn't perfected the move, not yet, and it drained him considerably.

He looked up, expecting to see the wreckage of the robot strewn across the far end of the alleyway. It had been an all or nothing attack, and he had felt every punch land heavily, the sheer velocity increasing the destructive power of each punch beyond his normal ability. His hands were pretty banged up.

The boy wonder gasped at the sight before him. The dark figure was still standing, though the cloth covering its torso was shredded now, revealing a yellow material below the black.

 _'What's going on_?' he thought weakly to himself. _Damn_ , he could barely even stand, Cologne was right, he wasn't ready to use the technique yet.

Suddenly the robot reached behind its head and angrily pulled off its hood.

Revealing a furious Ryouga Hibiki!

What the _hell_? He wanted to say something, ask anything, but Robin felt his energy slowly fading away.

"Where the _hell_ did you learn to do that?" asked the irate martial artist, nearly yelling in confusion.

Unfortunately, Robin couldn't answer him as his world slowly went black.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire lifted the last robot by the front of its uniform. All the rest laid spread out across the room.

"Truly this group of Slade's minions was most lack luster in their abilities in comparison to earlier models," she stated lightly.

The others nodded in agreement; the old drones had been deadly and efficient. These ones had been panicky and extremely poor marksmen. With a shrug, Starfire lifted her other fist, now glowing brightly, to finish off the annoying machine, no need to leave it operational.

" _Ahh, don't kill me darlin’!"_

Starfire gave a high-pitched shriek and tossed the cringing robot across the room. Robots were not supposed to do that!

Cyborg apparently agreed with her unspoken thoughts, reaching out and grabbing the closest black clad figure. A quick tug of the mask revealed a human, a human boy no less, wearing a red mask over the top half of his face.

"Who the heck are you!" shouted the tall Titan at the figure in his grasp.

This was most confusing to the Tamaranean. Why had this group of people dressed as drones? What need did they have for the deception, they were obviously skilled enough to break and enter the secured facility. What did they gain from this?

The bruised boy coughed slightly before continuing. "Name's Billy, Billy Numerous, scrap heap." Suddenly all the drones in the room blurred and started flying to the center of the room. Each drone joined with the dangling boy until the room was empty except for the four Titans and the black clad boy.

Cyborg shook the boy threateningly. "You're gonna tell us what you were _doin'_ here, _now_ buddy!"

The boy coughed again, some red liquid running down his chin now. Starfire gasped in realization. They had been fighting a human! They hadn't been holding back either, they had been fighting as they would have against Slade's drones! Sh-she was about to destroy one of the boys without a care in the world because she had thought it was a machine.

The Tamaranean stumbled backwards, covering her face with her hands. What had they almost done! She felt small arms surround her and heard the soothing words of Beast Boy fill her ears. He didn't know what was wrong but was still doing his best to calm her down.

"Heh-" A wheezing cough cut off his mocking laugh. "All I' m gonna say is that your time is up, Titans, and we've already made our first move."

Raven floated forward menacingly. "Your first move is a failure, now we have you, and you **will** explain yourself!" she spoke hotly, glaring at their captive.

The boy looked over at her, leering at her revealing outfit. Incensed she pulled her robe tightly around her. "Heh, sorry darlin’, but I got places to be."

Suddenly a black figure flickered into existence, right in the center of their group. The dark clad figure looked at them all, utterly impassively. He then winked at Raven, placed a hand on the boy still in Cyborg's clutches, and the two of them vanished like they had never been.

" _ARGH_! Dammit! What was _that_ all about!" ranted Cyborg, waving his arms around in frustration.

"If I _ever_ meet those debased criminals again..." Raven let her threat hang in the air, her face still red from the looks she had received.

Starfire raised her face from her hands. What had the boy meant? That they had already made their move? It did not make sense, Cyborg and Raven were correct, Starfire and her friends had foiled their plans, nearly captured the boy.

A sudden realization hit her.

"Friends, where is Robin?"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx was overflowing with pride for her fiancé. She had located the lost boy quickly after he had activated his transponder, indicating that his part of the mission was a success. She had found Ryouga, with the Titan leader tossed over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

As fast as she could, she had then led her companion back to the Hive academy where they placed their captive in the force bubble that Gizmo had devised. Something was bothering her though. Ryouga hadn't said a word to her the entire trip, in fact, unless she missed her guess, the boy was seething with barely repressed rage the entire trip.

But she couldn't figure out why. Billy got back safely with Kyd Wykkyd, sure he was pretty beat up, they had him strapped down in the intensive care unit, but the boy had performed his role perfectly and made it back in one piece. Ryouga had succeeded in his part of the mission.

Heck the whole mission had gone flawlessly. Just like Nabiki had predicted. See-more and Kyd Wykkyd had gone in first. Combining the ocular villain's powers with the teleporter's abilities, they had knocked out almost all the guards in the entire facility in a matter of minutes. Then they had teleported Ryouga and Billy into the secure lab and set off the alarm, drawing the Titans.

All the while, Jinx and the rest of her classmates had stopped any police or emergency vehicles from arriving on the scene and complicating matters. A very simple mission for the Hive students but amusing at least.

Now they were walking back to the meeting area, to give their reports to Nabiki and the Headmaster. Jinx was too nervous to ask the boiling boy beside her about his mood though.

A short trip later they found themselves back in the main classroom. Nabiki and the Headmaster were the only ones present now, looking over some plan or another. They both looked up at the arrival of Jinx and her partner. The Headmaster looked confused; apparently, he didn't understand why Ryouga would be upset about the mission either.

"What's your problem, Hibiki?" asked the mercenary Tendo. Always to the point, that one, and not afraid of anything.

Ryouga stalked right up to the table that the two masterminds sat at. "Where the hell did that Titan learn the chestnut fist? I only know two people he could have learned it from and I' m pretty damn sure I would have heard about something like that from Ranma or Cologne," barked the frustrated boy, slamming a hand to the raised hexagon with nearly enough force to crack it.

Jinx let out a gasp, Robin must have learned the technique while he was in the village with the Amazons. But they didn't know what happened during that time. The Headmaster had just done his best to replace all references in the boy's memory of Raven with Jinx, transplanting his affection from one girl to the other.

Nabiki's eyes narrowed at that. "What are you talking about Ryouga, what does it matter if the kid knows some dumb martial arts move?" she asked pointedly.

Ryouga ran both hands through his hair in frustration. "Rrrgh, nothing makes sense anymore Nabiki! Why can't I remember anything from the last few months except in a blur? Why do American superheroes know Chinese secret techniques? Why did I recognize that boy when I **know** I've never seen him before? And where the hell did, I get this?" yelled the boy, lifting his shirt and revealing the livid scar that ran up the length of his torso. "I'm pretty damn sure I would remember getting a wound like this!"

Jinx backed off a few steps. Damn it all! The Headmaster's mind control was starting to slip. If the lost boy remembered everything, he'd hate her; he'd never want to talk to her again if he knew what she had done. She could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes.

Nabiki glared at the tall man beside her but held her tongue. The girl was smart, she was probably starting to put things together already in her mind.

The Headmaster raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Now now boy, no need to get excited. I'll explain everything to you, just come into my office.”

Ryouga wore a trapped expression, like a cornered animal, he looked like he might try to make a break for it at any moment. Slowly the lost boy backed away, heading for the door.

The Headmaster's smile slipped at that. The older man glared at the boy before him, his eyes glowed with crimson energy, and Jinx knew he was exerting his terrible will over the boy. She looked away in shame as her false fiancé slowly submitted to the Headmaster's power.

"Come, boy! I can't have a discipline case in my school," said the Headmaster. With that, the older man left the room, Ryouga obediently and mindlessly following behind.

Jinx looked away from the scene, only to find herself staring into the cold, hard eyes of Nabiki Tendo. The older girl's eyes held no trace of humor; they held a hard edge to them now, an accusing glare that made the hairs at the back of Jinx's neck stand on end.

"You are going to tell me exactly what it is that **really** happened in China, Jinx. Now."

The young sorceress let out a reluctant sigh, then told the girl everything she knew.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven sat at the table, the three remaining Titans joining her. They hadn't heard from Robin for hours; they could only assume that the unusual boy they had run into had been part of some plan to kidnap their leader. They had tracked their leader's communicator, only to find it lying in an alleyway a few kilometers away from the lab.

"Friend Cyborg is there no way for us to determine the location of our wayward companion?" asked Starfire, her voice mournful.

Their large friend could only shake his head. " Nothing yet, though, I think if I adjust my scanners, I could pick up the energy signature of Robin' s electric discs, but I'd have to be within a few hundred meters at most."

Beast Boy grumbled loudly. "I don't get it guys; how did that guy plan all this? And who was his buddy? How many people are even involved? It's driving me bonkers!"

Raven had to admit she was feeling the same as her green friend. This unprovoked attack was aimed directly at them, and after they had just finally dealt with Slade and his reign of terror. Still something was puzzling her about the attack earlier.

"That still doesn't explain why I got that feeling of familiarity earlier at the crime scene. At first, I thought it might have been Slade returning, but after some reflection, it's obvious that isn't the case," she muttered quietly.

"Yeah, I know what ya mean, that alleyway had a familiar scent in it too, it was kinda masked, but still, it ticked something in the back of my mind as soon as we found Robin' s communicator," agreed Beast Boy.

"What I wanna know y' all, is who was the guy that Robin was dealin with. No way was it one of those Billy clones, those guys weren't a threat at all except in numbers. The guy Robin was chasin was jumpin around like a grasshopper. And it looked like they had it out pretty good in that alley, I know Robin didn't punch that hole in the wall," added Cyborg.

The gothic Titan gave a sigh of resignation. It seemed like all they could do was wait for their mysterious opponent's next move. They would have to be careful for certain, it appeared this new threat was guided by a very clever person, someone that knew that the Titans were still reeling from Slade's attack on the city and was willing to use it against them.

One thing was for certain.

The Teen Titans weren't going to be surprised a second time.

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Jinx sighed again as she found herself aimlessly wandering the halls of the Hive academy. Nabiki hadn't been too pleased when she had heard what the Headmaster had done to bring the lost boy into the fold. The fanged boy and the mercenary girl may not have been great friends, but Nabiki considered the boy to be one of her own, and as such was worried just what the Headmaster was willing to do to them to meet his own ends.

Not that the sorceress was that thrilled with the whole scenario herself. Certainly, she had been benefiting from it in a few ways, but she knew her own luck. She just knew that when things went south and that looked more certain now after watching the lost boy nearly break down, she knew that it would blow up in her face in the worst possible way.

Silently she leaned against the cool wall behind her, she couldn't even tell how long she had been walking, but she was starting to feel tired now. A quick glimpse revealed that she had wandered in the cafeteria and was now leaning close to the entrance. Not that it really mattered to her, Jinx doubted she could stomach the already dubious caf food with how anxious she was feeling.

The room was nearly empty; Kasumi and Mammoth were at the far end of the room, studying again. At least those two seemed to be getting along well, no mind control or anything forcing them to work together she thought bitterly. The tall boy was being surprisingly helpful, allowing the older girl to begin catching up with the class. And Kasumi's mere presence seemed to bring a sense of calm to the entire academy.

The only other person in the room, making his way to her position now, was See-more, her optically powered classmate.

"Hey Jinx, pretty good job on that mission eh?" asked the dark-skinned boy, a little nervously for some reason.

She shrugged, no longer so enthused about their recent success. "Yeah, I suppose so, everything went good and everything. And we got that bird brain locked up, nothing wrong with that," she responded, her lack of enthusiasm translating into her words.

The cycloptic boy looked at her, a little worry on his features. "Something up, Jinx? You look a little down."

"Nothing to worry about See-more, just thinking about the future I guess," she told the young villain.

He smiled back at her, a little crookedly. "Heh, well ya know what always cheers me up? Some good old cardboard caf pizza, come on, I' m buyin," he offered kindly, offering her his arm in a silly gentlemanly manner.

"Hmm, sure why not, let's go," she agreed. She took his offered arm; why not forget about her troubles for a while. She knew See-more had a little crush on her, but it wasn't like anything would ever come of it, he just wasn't her type. But getting some free pizza out of him and a sympathetic ear for a few minutes; that seemed like just what she needed now.

"Your table awaits m- _Ggrrhhkk!_ "

Jinx stumbled back and bounced against one of the nearby tables. A blur had just flown past her and torn her companion from her grasp.

It only took a moment to see what had happened. Ryouga held See-more three feet above the ground, a hand clutched around the skinny boy's throat and crushing the smaller boy's body against the wall. Jinx recoiled at the look of rage on the lost boy's face.

"You stay the _hell_ away from Jinx or I'll _kill_ you, understand!" snarled the darkly clad martial artist, his fangs almost seemed to gleam in the dim lighting. See-more couldn't have answered even if he had wanted to though; the way Ryouga was constricting his airflow in what looked to be an extremely painful way.

"Ryouga! What the hell are you doing? Put him _down_!" she yelled fervently. What had gotten into him? The Lost Boy and See-more had gotten along well before this, hell the only one Ryouga didn’t get along with was Mammoth.

He turned to glare at her. "I won't have this filth touching you, Jinx!" he growled at her. At Her! He had never raised his voice to her before, not even when they had been fighting in Jusenkyo. Why was he acting this - _Damn_ , what had the Headmaster done to him?

"Hibiki Ryouga! You put that boy down this instant!" came a raised yet calm voice from behind them. They both turned to see Kasumi, flanked by Mammoth staring down the lost boy.

The fanged boy seemed to lose some of his fury at that. "Stay out of this, Kasumi; this is between me and the cyclops here." The lost boy made his point further by shaking the slowly suffocating boy.

Mammoth stepped forward, crossing his arms over his impressive chest. "Do what the woman says, little man. Unless you want me to make you," threatened the massive youth.

Ryouga seemed to consider this for a moment, seemed to be considering attacking the larger boy. But eventually he scoffed in disgust and dropped his unfortunate victim. With that he strode out of the room, leaving four very confused people behind.

The three conscious people looked at each other, concern on all their faces.

What had brought that on? And what did that mean for the rest of their classmates.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki stared up impassively from her plans to the angry young man that had just so rudely burst into her room. The Lost Boy had gone so far as to nearly break her table when he slammed a frustrated hand against it. Whatever was bothering him, he didn't seem eager to share.

"I'm tired of these plans, Nabiki, I want a straight up fight, me and the Titans, as soon as possible," demanded the unstable boy.

Something odd was going on, she had never seen Ryouga get this worked up over anything short of Ranma himself, and even Ranma had to push to get Ryouga this mad. Whatever had happened during the Headmaster's "lecture" had the fanged boy acting closer to the way he had when he had first come to Nerima.

She looked at him, eyebrow arched. "And what makes you think that I' m going to throw away all of my hard thought plans because you want a little grudge match with the Titans?" she asked calmly.

He growled like an animal. He had growled at _her_ no less. "I don't need your plans to beat the likes of them, I took their leader out like he was nothing, and I can do the same for the rest of them. Just- just _do_ it! I _need_ to fight!" he nearly implored her.

She glared at the boy. Not because of what he was saying, but more for what had been done to the boy.

"Fine, we're past the element of surprise, now it's time to see what the rest of the Titans are really capable of. And since you've annoyed me so much, Hibiki, you're going in solo, no back up. If you get beaten, it's on your head, you got that?" she asked, lacing her voice with annoyance.

The poor fool actually smiled at that, nodding happily, as if he wanted nothing more in the world than to rush out into a four on one fight against seasoned superheroes.

"Now get the hell out of my room, Hibiki," she glowered at the boy. He glared again but complied easily.

She had some planning to do now. Not only would she find out what the Titans were capable of, it was past time that she got Ryouga back to normal.

After seeing what the Headmaster had done to someone that was practically a member of her family and seeing what he might do to the rest of the Nerima crew, well one thing had become abundantly clear.

The Headmaster had outlived his usefulness.


	11. Interlude

I don't own the Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you wont.

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Robin shook his head, groggy as he faded back to consciousness. He tried to lift himself up, but slipped on the smooth surface below him, his face slamming painfully with said surface.

Well, he was awake _now_.

A quick scan revealed some most disheartening information. He was inside a spherical bubble of force. Everything outside was a garish yellow color, whether from the color of the force field itself, or because the hexagon covered room he was in was yellow, he couldn't be sure.

There was only one exit, on the far side of the room. A large security door that looked to be at least as solid as the blast doors that protected the Tower from outside attack. He wouldn't be knocking it down, that was for sure. Especially since a quick check revealed his belt and tools had been confiscated. Even the tiny lock picks in his boots and gloves were gone.

On the bright side, though, they hadn't taken his mask or costume. That would have made his prison stay slightly uncomfortable, to say the least.

The Boy Wonder had to admit it; things didn't look too good for him. Even if he still had his lock picks, they wouldn't help him escape from a force field.

This left him with little other than his thoughts to keep him company. And his mind was racing a mile a minute now. Why was Ryouga working with the H.I.V.E? Sure, Robin hadn't seen any recognizable students, like Jinx or Mammoth yet, but the décor sure was a dead give away of who was currently holding him.

The obvious answer seemed to be mind control. The fanged martial artist had acted like he hadn't recognized Robin and had also seemed surprised that he had known an Amazon technique. Hmm, well at least that answered their question about what had happened to the Lost Boy.

It seemed most likely that Jinx and her cohorts had returned here and reported to their leader of their defeat at the Lost Boy's hands. They then must have tracked them to the village, not a large leap of logic considering it was the only settlement for a few hundred miles. Then picked up the Japanese martial artist after they had left for America.

Unfortunately, that didn't really help the captive Titan. Whoever was running this place would have to be foolish to grant Ryouga any access to the prisoners. Considering how recent their meeting had been, Robin was fairly sure that any actual discussions with Ryouga would probably mess up the brainwashing.

Hmm, that only left him with one option. They were going to have to open the force field to feed him. It would be risky, but if he could fight past the guards and escape, he could warn the Titans and they could prepare for future attacks.

Well, that was assuming they weren't just going to let him starve. He sure _hoped_ that wasn't the case, he was skinny enough already.

A loud clanking and hissing sound heralded the opening of the large door. Speak of the devil. He laid back in the bubble, trying to appear weak and broken to lull his captor into a false sense of security.

The door opened ponderously, giving credence to his estimate of its thickness. Then he saw a cart laden with food being rolled into the room. The person pushing the cart took the masked Titan slightly by surprise.

It was a taller girl, probably a few years older than himself. She was very pretty, with long brown hair bound in a ponytail that trailed over her shoulder. The young woman appeared to be Japanese as well. Her outfit seemed the most out of place though, a simple, but nice skirt and a fashionable blouse. Overtop her normal clothing, the tall girl wore a utilitarian apron.

Overall, Robin didn't know what to make of her. Did they think so little of his skills that they just sent the cook, without even a single guard accompanying her, to feed him? Heck, the girl hadn't even closed the massive door behind her. It hung open invitingly, only a short few seconds away.

His eye mask narrowed. No, he'd tangled with the Hive's top students a few times; they knew what he was capable of. There was no way they would send some helpless girl to take care of him.

It was obviously a trap. The young woman didn't even look the slightest bit concerned as she rolled the cart over to his bubble. She had to be one of their highest-ranking students, or possibly another recruit like Ryouga! That meant she was likely an expert martial artist, probably on par with the Lost Boy himself. Why else would they send her in alone like this?

The girl hummed to herself, looking chipper. She went to the wall beside his cell and pushed a button. A section of the floor then rose next to his prison, forming a makeshift table. Another section rose about half the distance, close to the first. A chair, apparently. The villainous young woman then began to set out his meal on the table with practiced ease and grace.

He stifled a grin; they thought they could fool him? He could tell from her movements that she had to be very skilled. She was far too serene and graceful to not have achieved _some_ higher level of consciousness, so integral to the higher-level mastery of the martial arts.

Finally, the brunette finished setting everything up and turned to face him, bowing politely.

"Hello, Mr. Robin, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tendo Kasumi, but you can just call me Kasumi. I've made you a nice meal of smoked salmon and steamed rice." Her voice pleasant and soothing.

She then turned and deactivated the force field, her back to him completely. Surely, if he attacked _now_ , she wouldn't be able to defend... or, that's just what she _wanted_ him to think. No fighter would ever turn their back on an opponent like that unless they were so skilled that they were completely in tune with their surroundings!

Uncertain, the leader of the Titans held his ground. The polite girl turned back to face him, still smiling serenely. She wasn't afraid of him at all!

"They have so many interesting things here that I can cook with, much more than at home. I was very happy when they asked me to cook for our guests." She beamed a smile as she gestured to the chair. "Please, have a seat Mr. Robin, you don't want it to get cold, do you?" She giggled slightly at that.

Reluctantly he obeyed, _slowly,_ to keep an eye on her for any sudden moves. He eyed the distant door longingly. Once seated, he picked up the utensils provided; nice silverware, too. The girl had _literally_ just handed him a metal knife, and yet she still maintained her intense level of calm. She didn't even bother to keep her distance, rather, she raised another chair and sat herself.

Then his strange hostess proceeded to pour some tea for the both of them.

"You’re very quiet, Mr. Robin. Why don't you tell me a little about yourself? A nice meal is always better with nice conversation," asked the Japanese girl, kindly.

Hmm, so it was time for the interrogation, was it? Not _likely_ , he was trained by the best to resist torture, she wouldn't be getting _anything_ from him.

Still, he was a bit thirsty; he reached out and took the small cup. The stared at the lightly colored liquid for a moment, slightly suspicious, but then noticed Kasumi take a sip. Well they _had_ been poured from the same kettle, heck they already captured him. Poisoning him seemed a bit redundant at this point.

He took a small sip, and was pleasantly surprised. A nice blend of some herbal tea, Raven would probably love it. He'd have to ask Kasumi what kind it was.

"Well, you already know that my name is Robin, and I'm a member of the Teen Titans, what else is there to know?" he replied absently, enjoying the tea.

He then picked up the fork again and cut himself a portion of the salmon. The teen detective nearly melted when he placed the tasty food in his mouth. That was possibly the best salmon he’d _ever_ had in his life.

"Wow, Kasumi, this is _really_ good, maybe the best I've ever had," he complimented the pretty girl before him.

She raised a hand to her mouth.

"Oh my! You're too kind, Mr. Robin, thank you very much," she responded, thrilled that he was enjoying her cooking so much. Wow, who would have guessed a deadly martial arts assassin could cook so well?

"Heh, just call me Robin, Kasumi, that Mr. stuff is too formal for me."

"Very well... Robin, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable." A few moments passed in comfortable silence as Robin thoroughly enjoyed his meal. If more super villains had this kind of gourmet cooking in their prisons, he'd get captured more often!

"So, you already got to play with Ryouga. I hope he didn't hurt you; he can get a little carried away from time to time. But he's such a sweet boy, usually," she stated, making idle conversation apparently.

"No, I guess I just pushed myself too hard, is all. Strange you should mention him, though, I've run into him before. I'm guessing you have as well?" he asked leadingly.

"Oh my, yes. Ryouga is one of my little sister's best friends, and he's always playing with her fiancé as well. So full of energy those two,” she answered cheerfully, “How did you meet Ryouga? I would imagine he would have mentioned someone as interesting as you. Ryouga always loves telling us stories of his travels."

Wait, back up a second! Little sister? Fiancé? Dropping by all the time? This Kasumi was _the Kasumi_ that Ryouga had mentioned back in the village! She was the older sister of the girl that Ryouga had really liked before he had met the Titans!

That meant that she _was_ from Nerima, and if Ryouga's stories were correct, _everyone_ in that area was a martial arts master of one kind of another. _Heh_ , his suspicions had been right, if this girl was from Nerima and had been recruited like Ryouga, she was _definitely_ a powerful and skilled warrior.

He was about to tell her how he had met Ryouga at Jusenkyo, but the girl had noticed that he had finished his meal.

"Oh look, you've finished. I hope you enjoyed your meal. Could you please step back into the bubble so that I can start cleaning up?" she asked, incredibly politely.

He nodded agreeably and stepped back onto the platform as she reactivated the bubble. Then true to her word, she began to clean up his mess and soon had the cart ready to leave.

Before leaving she turned to face him. "I really enjoyed our little talk, Robin; I look forward to speaking with you again later. I hope you have a good night." With that she bowed to him and left the room.

Soon the door sealed itself once again, leaving Robin back in the position he had been in when he had first awoken.

Hmmm, now all he had to do was figure out how to escape. He just had to wait for his captors to let their guard down, that was all.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster slowly looked away from the view screen to the widely smirking brunette standing beside him. The small group that surrounded the screen seemed to be equally at a loss.

"That... was... _unbelievable_!" he stated in awe. "There were _no guards_ , the door was _open_ the entire time, and yet he did not _once_ try to escape! It makes no sense; he could have overpowered Kasumi easily and left at a whim."

Nabiki continued to smirk. "I believe you all owe me ten dollars on that one," she informed the small group surrounding the view screen. She held out a hand expectantly.

Bumble Bee grumbled loudly as she pulled the neatly folded bill from her wallet. "Who woulda thought that _Kasumi_ could keep Robin from escaping like that?"

A few various complaints joined it, but they all paid her eventually.

"Now you're all starting to see the _true power_ of my dear sister," bragged the mercenary Tendo.

The Headmaster could only shake his head in disbelief as he handed the young student his ten-dollar bill.

"I think I may have created a monster."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki sighed loudly, _again_. It seemed that no one in this facility understood the concept of privacy. Once again, her plotting had been interrupted by one of her classmates bursting into her room unannounced. You'd think they could at least knock, but _nooooo_ , not in a school of _super villains_.

"What do you want, Jinx?" she asked the irate sorceress now looming over her. Admittedly, Nabiki had to be careful around this one; she was unpredictable and powerful, and though Nabiki had enough dirt on the girl to bury her, it wasn't the time to use it yet. Jinx could still prove useful to her plans.

"What's this that I hear about you sending Ryouga against the Titans _alone_! Are you trying to get him _killed_?" hissed the pink eyed girl.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "First of all, he _asked_ for it, literally. He came in here and demanded it. I don't know what the Headmaster did, but Hibiki is quickly turning into a loose cannon. So, unless the Lost Boy shapes up, this will be the last plan he's in."

Jinx gasped in shock. "So, you're _getting rid_ of him? Just like that? And what makes you think I won't stop you, here and now? You might be smart, but I could wipe you out _instantly_ ," threatened the lanky girl, her eyes glowing dangerously now.

Nabiki shook her head, maintaining her calm veneer. "No, Jinx, this isn't a suicide mission. I'm just coming at the Titans from a different angle. We've already used surprise and taken their leader. Now it's time to attack their morale. You told me what really happened in China, so I know that the Titans were Ryouga's friends. Seeing him attacking them is bound to throw them into chaos."

Jinx backed off slightly, still frowning. " _Hmph_ , as if there isn’t _enough_ emotional manipulation going on here. I still don't like it," muttered the pale skinned girl.

The middle Tendo considered this for a moment. _Hmm_ , perhaps there was a way to maximize effect and reduce risk here? It would make the mission that much more effective.

"All right, Jinx. Ryouga might not like it, but I'm willing to change the plan a bit. On the condition that you do what I tell you to do, got it?" she asked her villainous companion.

Jinx looked at her suspiciously. "And what do you want me to do?"

Nabiki grinned like a shark.

"Well, you're supposed to be his fiancée, I just need you to _act_ like it in front of the Titans."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happosai emerged reluctantly from his special room. He enjoyed his room quite a lot; it had been a very thoughtful gift from his new friend, the Headmaster. Certainly, Happosai felt a little silly referring to the whelp by such a title, but the man certainly knew how to keep him happy. If fact, he enjoyed his room so much, that he had scarcely left it for the past few days.

He wouldn't have left the room either, if it hadn't been for something that was disrupting his concentration, even in his room. It had only started recently, but it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore. For some reason, his overly sensitive chi awareness was being assaulted by a maelstrom of boiling hot chi wandering around his new home.

It didn't take the ancient master long to determine just _who_ the problem was; he just wasn't certain _why_. It was obvious that the Hibiki boy was the source of his annoyance; he was the only one in the entire city that possessed such immense levels of chi, the next nearest contender being that fool kendoist. But why would the Lost Boy be so angry? The fanged martial artist had a lovely, though underdeveloped, fiancée that seemed to actually like him; Happosai couldn't understand what the boy had to complain about.

It wasn't that the master of Anything Goes Martial Arts really cared or anything, it was just annoying having to put up with the cloud of negative chi while he was trying to enjoy himself. Still, what kind of master would he be if he didn't offer guidance to the neophyte warriors beneath him? The Lost Boy wasn't nearly as amusing as Ranma, _nothing_ was as amusing as Ranma's curse, but Happosai was sure the boy would appreciate a lesson from a true master.

It wasn't that difficult to locate the boy for someone of Happosai's skills. All he had to do was follow the cloud of hot chi through the facility. A quick trip led him to the observation deck of the H.I.V.E academy gymnasium. Standing on the deck, observing the goings on below was the Headmaster. The gray-haired man was standing quietly, his hands clasped behind his back, a satisfied look on his face.

Down below, in the gymnasium, was the target of Happosai's short search. Ryouga was currently working out his aggression on a massive punching bag-like device that appeared to be designed for the abnormally strong youths like Mammoth. The display on the side of the machine measuring the impacts displayed small spikes with each blow delivered by the fanged martial artist. If the displays were accurate, the boy was putting some serious power into his attacks but didn't quite match up to the machine's usual users.

"True, his strength is insignificant compared to some of the other students, however I believe Mr. Hibiki to be one of our most promising up and comers. His skills in the martial arts make him more than a match for nearly any other student here," mused the Headmaster; apparently the man had noticed his arrival.

" _Meh_ , he's alright. I've seen better though," muttered Happosai. Sure, the boy had talent, but no style matched up to his Anything Goes Style, it was the perfect martial art! Oh sure, he had stolen or adapted most of his moves from other schools, taking everything that worked or that he liked and making it his own. But then adaptation was the key to survival.

The boy below seemed to be getting frustrated. Did the furious martial artist really think he could match pure power with a meta-human like Mammoth? The Lost Boy was strong, easily one of the strongest martial artists that Happosai had ever seen, but Mammoth was even stronger that the young Pantyhose’s cursed form, it was _unnatural_!

Ryouga gave one last enraged punch before leaping back from the machine. Happosai felt a weight fall across his spirit. Apparently the boy was upping the ante.

"Shi Shi Houkodan!" bellowed the boy.

A four-foot sphere of mixed azure and crimson energy blasted forth from the Lost Boy's crossed arms and smashed into the target with a thunderous crash that shook the room. The display showed a greatly increased impact, though the target itself seemed no worse for wear.

"I gotta say, Ryouga there seems a bit out of sorts –"

" _Shi Shi Houkodan!"_

Another blast rocked the chamber, the shockwave rustling Happosai’s sparse hair.

"-even for him," Happosai finished.

The Headmaster turned to face him, a considering look on his face. "Indeed, I find this recent turn of moods to be _most_ interesting."

_"Shi Shi Houkodan!"_

Happosai took a moment to regain his balance as the room quaked. "Yes, _about_ that. I do have to wonder _what_ has the boy in such a sour mood, he's not usually this-"

" _SHI SHI HOUKODAN!"_

The unexpectedly intense shockwave washed over the pair of aged warriors, sending them both the to floor.

"-unhinged...," he muttered lamely, picking himself up.

That was starting to get _annoying_. True, the display showed that last hit as registering slightly over half of what the machine could handle, but Happosai wasn't sure how long it would be before the Lost Boy upgraded and blew the _whole room_ the scrap.

The Headmaster pulled himself off the floor as well, smiling malevolently. "Well, I admit I did have a _little_ something to do with it. The boy was a bit too gentle with our newest guest, so I decided to try increasing his aggressiveness."

" _SHHIIIII!"_

"So, I found the memory of the person he hated the most, doing the thing that had angered Mr. Hibiki more than anything else, and tied all the boy's emotions to that one memory.” The Headmaster stared down at the young man, his entire body dancing with azure fire now. The supposed teacher’s eyes danced with glee at what he saw. “It seemed to have the rather interesting side effect of locking our young protégée into a permanent state of barely contained rage."

" _SHHHIIIIII!"_

"I rather like the results, myself," finished the Headmaster, even as he firmly grasped the guardrail before him.

Happosai decided to follow the taller man's example and grab onto the rail himself. _Hmm_ , Ryouga locked in a state of Ranma induced rage? That didn't sound like a good thing to have around. _No one_ could anger people like Ranma could, and Ryouga was angry enough as it was. The thought of the Headmaster linking Ryouga's worst memories of Ranma to his consciousness, now _that_ seemed like a recipe for disaster.

" ** _HOUKODAAAAN!"_**

He was forced to close his eyes as the flash of energy threatened to blind him. The blast wave slammed into him like a full body fist, but he managed to hold his grip this time.

The training machine was blackened from the abuse now and starting to warp from the intense heat born or Ryouga's fury. It wasn't meant to be bombarded by high energy chi projectiles. The display still showed the power of his attack falling short of Mammoth's full power punches, however.

The Headmaster shook his head slightly, probably trying to get his hearing to come back after that last shockwave.

"Um, _Mr. Hibiki_ , I believe that is enough for one day. You need to save your energy," stated the villain, trying to sound calmer than he actually was.

Ryouga turned on them and snarled like a caged beast. "I won't be beaten by the likes of _Mammoth_!" spewed the boy, twisting Mammoth's name so it sounded like a curse.

The fanged martial artist then turned back to the target and dropped his arms to his sides rather than cross them across his chest for a traditional Lion's Roar Shot.

Oh lordy, _that_ would certainly make a mess of things. The ancient master felt the heavy chi suddenly double in intensity, nearly dragging him to the ground. The Headmaster wasn't even that lucky, collapsing in a heap unable to move.

Happosai didn't feel like getting trapped in a collapsing underground facility; heck Ryouga might wreck his special room at this rate. So, with a sigh of resignation, the ancient pervert began to summon his own immense aura. Within a moment he was able to shake off the monumental weight of Ryouga's spirit like it was nothing. A quick leap down to the training area and he was poised behind the Lost Boy in mid melt down.

So intent was Ryouga on utterly destroying the training device, that he didn't even notice his approach. With a shrug, Happosai tapped the boy on the back of the neck, causing the wanderer to collapse in a boneless heap at his feet.

That's why _he_ was the master.

Immediately the heaviness left the air and the Headmaster and the various technicians around the room were able to move once more. He turned to face the slowly recovering master of the facility.

"He _should_ be out for a few hours, at least. If I were you, I might reconsider this course of action. the Lost Boy's power is directly related to his emotions, and you might be surprised how quickly they could go beyond your control," he warned the taller man.

Having said his piece, Happosai decided to leave. Now that the boy was unconscious, he wasn't projecting his chi to all corners of the base. Now the master of Anything Goes Martial arts could go back and enjoy his special room again.

Of course, had he stayed a few moments longer he would have heard the Headmaster's next words.

"Reconsider? Heh, I think _not_ , these results are better than I could have _imagined_!"

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Jinx carefully brushed a stray hair from the unconscious boy's face. He'd been out of it since his rather spectacular display earlier. Jinx had come running when she had heard the first blast. She had been impressed with the raw power of his attacks, but she knew he could do more, so much more.

She shuddered at the memory of the Lost Boy's capture, the image of an azure sun, rising in the night.

That memory wasn't nearly as traumatic as the conversation she had overheard when she had arrived at the gym. She’d seen the Headmaster and the old pervert talking when she stepped in, so she had quickly stepped back to eavesdrop on them. She couldn't _believe_ he would do something like that to Ryouga, making him constantly experience the most terrible moments in his life just to make him more dangerous to their enemies.

No, wait, she _totally_ could.

The Lost Boy in question jerked violently in his sleep, his face contorting in some raw emotion that she couldn't identify. He had been having nightmares consistently over the past several hours, so she had gotten used to the sudden outbursts. She laid a calming palm on the boy's forehead, hoping to soothe him somewhat.

The worst part was that it was _working_. If the fanged warrior’s earlier display had been any indication, the power of his attacks was increasing steadily the more he dwelt on the terrible memories that the Headmaster forced upon him. The Headmaster wouldn't care about the negative effects of the plan; the fact that Ryouga was lashing out at other students, that he had become psychotically possessive of her.

The young sorceress was finding herself feeling _afraid_ of the Lost Boy for the first time since she had met him. It made her want to... she didn't even know _what_ she wanted to do because of it. She was feeling nearly as messed up as the Lost Boy himself. She was bouncing between joy and sadness, happiness and guilt, bliss, and torment, all so fast that she was starting to feel unhinged.

The young man before her had brought so much good into her life, but he was suffering every minute that he was here. Could she really accept that? Her happiness for his pain? Maybe... maybe if she were lucky, the Titans would save him and get him out of this mess.

It seemed unlikely, though. Nabiki was scheduling their mission for the minute that Ryouga woke up. She didn't want him wandering around the complex any longer than she could handle. But considering the mood of the boy before he went under, it seemed more likely to be a blood bath than a rescue mission.

The bandanna clad boy before her groaned loudly, his eyes fluttering open. He was finally recovering it seemed.

With a heavy heart she pulled out her communicator and activated it.

"Nabiki, he's awake, we're ready to go," she stated, her tone leaden.

"Good, take him to the transport. I'll deliver the ultimatum," replied the shifty brunette.

Jinx looked down at the slowly recovering boy.

It was show time.

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Nabiki rubbed her temples, trying to massage away the impending migraine she was feeling.

"Tendo Nabiki, I _demand_ to know why you continue to insist upon bestowing the lion's share of the glory to that wandering fool! Truly the rising star of the H.I.V.E academy, the _Blue Thunder_ , deserves the honor of the great battle to come!" orated the long winded Kendoist.

Yes, her migraine had a name, and it was Kunou.

"I have told you _repeatedly_ why I'm doing this, Kunou-baby. Ryouga already knows the Titans, so having him fight them will hurt their morale. That and they have no idea about you, yet, so I'd _like_ to keep it that way and have you as my ace up the sleeve. If I've learned _anything_ from my research on these people, it's that the Titans have a way of turning things around, no matter how badly things are going for them," she explained to him, _slowly_ , and possibly with the aid of diagrams.

" _Bah_! I will not be a skulking _assassin_ , waiting to pounce upon unsuspecting victims from the shadows! I am the Vengeance of Heaven itself! I will face the Titans at their best and strike them down like the fodder they are!" boasted the insulted swordsman.

Nabiki rubbed her temples, again. Didn't Kunou understand that _he_ was the one _attacking_ the _superheroes_? She wasn't sure how heaven was going to be backing him up on this one. Leave it to Kunou to become a super villain and still think he was the hero from some epic novel.

"Listen, Kunou, this isn't even a _plan_ , this is an _interlude_ , just a step along the way to my next plan. I _guarantee_ you that you have a role in the next plan, and an important one at that, will you _please_ just let this one go?" she nearly pleaded with the dense boy.

The aristocratic warrior seemed to consider this. "Hmm, mayhaps you are right, Tendo Nabiki. A bit part deserves a bit player. Let Hibiki have this _interlude_ , for the Blue Thunder shall truly shine during the play's _climax_!" With that Kunou strode confidently from the main meeting room.

She shook her head sadly. In all honesty, she didn't trust Kunou enough to send him against the Titans like that. Ryouga was simply better than him, that's all there was to it. Ranma always came out on top, but the Lost Boy was the only one she'd give _close_ to even money on in a fight. Of course, telling Kunou that someone was better than him was like explaining physics to a brick wall... only more aggravating.

Still, this was an important step, and it would set up her next plot nicely. It was just a matter of seeing how her pieces moved.

She reached over to the device which Gizmo had created to interrupt the city’s airwaves.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg grumbled loudly to himself. It was delicate work adjusting his sensors; he'd had to break into their paranoid leader's room just to get one of the discs so he could calibrate to the energy signature it gave off. Even when he did get his new sensors online, it would still be a turkey shoot trying to find the missing Titan. But a few hundred meters was better than line of sight.

It wasn't the work that was troubling him, though. They had been outmaneuvered on their last mission; someone had played them for chumps. Using Robin's obsession with Slade to lure him away from the team and into a trap. So far, they had only seen three people involved, the one that led Robin away, the multiple dude and the creepy cloak guy.

Cyborg was doubtful that they were the only ones involved, though. His gut told him that there was something _big_ going on here. Something that him and his friends were still in the dark about.

If only they could get a _break_ , some _hint_ about who was messing with them.

The loud sound of static filled the air for a moment.

"Attention Jump City," blared the television loudly.

"Yo, _BB_! Turn that junk _down_ , I'm tryin to work here!" he barked at the small green couch potato.

"Dude! Check it out! _Forget_ that junk, you _gotta_ see this," yelled the green teen from the front of the room.

What was BB goin on about, now? With a shrug, he left his work and looked up to the massive view screen. Beast Boy, Raven and Starfire all sat on the couch, looking in shock at the display.

On the television was brazenly displayed a large, stylized H surrounded by a yellow hexagon.

 _Ooookay_ , at least they knew who they were dealing with now.

"This message is for the Teen Titans and the Teen Titans alone," droned the logo. The voice was female, though distorted.

"We at the H.I.V.E academy are issuing a formal challenge to the Titans, our two top students against you _leftover_ heroes. The time is now and the location is the intersection of 5th and Main Street. Note, that any interference will be dealt with _harshly_ ," explained the distorted voice.

Suddenly, the Tower alarm screamed to life above them. Half of the screen before them shifted to an overhead map of the city, a blinking red light in the general area of 5th and Main. The message read that explosions had been detected in the area.

"If the Titans do _not_ show up, then the city _will_ be destroyed. Thank you for your time, and have a _pleasant_ day." With that the Hive logo vanished, returning the television to its regular broadcasting.

"Crap! Titans _Go_!" Cyborg shouted. They had to get out there and stop whoever was trashing their city.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ , hold up, dude! This is so _obviously_ a trap it's ridiculous! If we go out there, whoever is after us is gonna lay a smack down on us!" blurted out the panicking shape shifter.

"It doesn't _matter_ if it's a trap or not, they're attacking the city. We have to go stop them," uttered Raven sagely. She floated quietly a few inches above the ground as the spoke to the gathered Titans.

Starfire glided over as well. "Indeed, friend Beast Boy. It is our most solemn duty to protect this fair city, no matter the dangers to ourselves. This city is now my home, and I will not let any misguided miscreants destroy it for their _childish amusement_!"

Cyborg agreed with the Tamaranean one hundred percent, no punks were gonna wreck their home while they were still alive and kicking. He noticed Beast Boy nod to himself, a serious expression forming on his face.

"Besides, BB, if we _know_ it's a trap, then we won't be surprised at whatever they throw at us! This might be a good opportunity to see about finding Robin, if we can get a tracker on these punks, then we can follow them all the way home!" he cheered excitedly now.

Raven floated forward and cut him off. "We're wasting time, let's move already."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg slammed the gas pedal, tearing around another corner at near suicidal speeds. They weren't too far away now, just a minute or two more. He took a brief glance at his companions. They all bore serious expressions, even Raven, who usually complained endlessly when he drove this way.

Whoever was calling them out was responsible for kidnapping Robin, they were responsible for using their worst memories against them by using Slade's image, and they were responsible for wrecking their city. Whoever was calling them out, they were gonna pay!

Big time!

What was the saying: "Don't call up what ya can't put down." Yeah, these guys were gonna see the error of their ways, when he surgically implanted his size sixteen boot ten inches up their scrawny little a-

"Something doesn't feel right," droned the violet eyed Titan currently riding shotgun. "I'm sensing some kind of energy in the air, it's very familiar... yet it's not. All I can tell is that it's... it's very _hot_."

Starfire looked up at that, a startled look on her face, but it quickly faded away.

Another turn and then he slammed on the brakes, bringing the T-Car to a screeching halt. His baby still handled as sweetly as the day he made her. Cyborg and his friends leapt from the car and surveyed the scene of 5th and Main.

The street was nearly deserted, several cars littered the pavement, but their drivers had long since abandoned them. A nearby storefront had been destroyed, the building burning merrily now. What did the store sign say? ‘ _Pigs and Things_ ’? Why destroy that store? Other than the one store there wasn't any damage at all.

The only people present to Cyborg's sensors were the two people standing at the center of the intersection, calmly awaiting their arrival. The first was someone they had come to know quite well already. The pink haired sorceress, Jinx. She stood relaxed, leaning on her companion, familiar Cheshire grin adorning her face.

Her companion was familiar as well. It was the Slade drone that had led Robin away from their fight earlier. He stood silently, no longer hunched at all, rather standing straight and proud, nearly radiating power in a way that Slade's actual drones never had. But who the heck was under the mask?

"Jeez Titans, what _took_ you so long? Do you know how hard it is to keep my new friend here in line? As you can see, I wasn't _completely_ successful," chirped the widely grinning witch, pointing to the burning building.

Cyborg took a step forward. "What's this all about Jinx? Why did you broadcast a challenge if you just wanted us to come down here so you could spring a trap?" he barked at the slim girl.

The darkly clad figure beside her nearly leapt forward, the cat eyed girl just barely held him back, grabbing onto him with both arms and pulling him back. After making sure she secured her comrade, and getting her breath back, she answered him.

"Oh, this challenge is for _real,_ losers, just the four of you versus little old me, and the H.I.V.E.'s newest student!" she boasted loudly.

A quite whisper from his side distracted him for a moment.

"It _can't_ be, how could it be, but it _has_ to be..." it was Raven, mumbling to herself deep within her hood. He took a moment to glance at her, but Jinx demanded his attention once more.

"Please, let me introduce you, this is our newest member." She gestured dramatically as the black clad figure reached up and ripped off hood it was wearing.

Revealing the snarling visage of _Hibiki Ryouga_!

" _What the heck_!" he yelled in shock. Cyborg heard the various gasps and exclamations from his friends around them, but they were all lost as his mind swirled in confusion and shock as he watched the young villainess wrap her right arm around the fanged martial artist's waist while suggestively running her left hand across his chest.

The H.I.V.E. witch didn't even give them time to recover from their initial shock before she continued.

"Oh, and by the way, we're getting _married_!" proclaimed the young vixen proudly.

She then swung around and laid into the Lost Boy with the most passionate kiss that Cyborg had seen this side of a T.V. screen.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven was having a terrible time concentrating. The very air was suffused with roiling spiritual energy. It felt like she was walking through some kind of psychic sauna, the closer they got to the source, the worst it got. When they had turned that last corner, arriving at the scene, it almost had become too much for her to bear.

Then they had exited the vehicle and confronted the to H.I.V.E. students, Jinx, and the black clad figure from the lab heist. _He_ seemed to be the source of the disturbance, which was unusual since the figure had given off no such aura the last time, she had seen him.

She vaguely heard Jinx say something about the challenge, but she couldn't spare any attention to the girl. The energy was so livid and _angry_... angry? Why hadn't she seen it _before_? It was so _obvious_ ; the energy was so familiar. It was _chi_ , how had she not realized until now? And now that she knew _what_ it was, she knew _whose_ it was, as intimately as if he had been standing naked before her.

It had been the same in the lab and then the alley where Robin had vanished. Beast Boy had noticed it too, the familiar scent, but neither of them had put two and two together. The burning spiritual pressure that flowed off the boy, it was so fundamentally _him_ that she was shocked she hadn't seen it instantly, and yet it was so twisted and angry that it seemed _impossible_ that it could be the same boy she had grown so close to over those weeks in China.

"It can't be, how could it be, but it has to be..." she whispered to herself.

As it was, she wasn't surprised when he removed his hood, just mortified beyond reason. The Lost Boy's face was so twisted with rage that she couldn't even reconcile him with the boy that had so touched her heart. It was a struggle just to keep his anger from poisoning her mind; she had to fight to keep his emotions from entering her psyche and affecting her.

She heard the people around her speaking, Jinx saying something, Cyborg yelling, but nothing mattered.

For some reason, Jinx had draped herself across Ryouga in a very personal sort of way. Raven felt her eyes begin to tingle strangely watching the pink haired hussy run her hands across the Lost Boy's muscled chest. Her hands tightened against her will as she watched her old foe press herself against the fanged martial artist.

This was a _whole new_ low for Jinx, kidnapping their newest friend. Poisoning his mind with rage and hate, warping his thoughts, and turning him against them. And now she was trying to rub salt in their wounds by pretending to be _involved_ with Ryouga. Who did Jinx think she was _playing_ with? Did the Hive witch really think she could get under her skin just by getting close to Ryouga like that?

And then Jinx turned and kissed Ryouga... long and hard.

Raven watched with morbid fascination, the kiss seemed to go on forever, Jinx moaning in ecstasy obviously enjoying every second of it.

Oh no she _didn't_! She did _not_ just do that!

To _hell_ with this!

Raven stopped keeping Ryouga's anger out of her mind.

No, she drank it in, _all of it_.

" _JIIIIIIINX_ **!** "

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx was doing her best to make the kiss look authentic, but her stubborn partner wasn't participating at all. She did her best to conceal his face, which was locked in a grimace of anger and hate, his only response to her kiss was a harsh glare. After a few seconds she relented and turned to face the Titans, pasting a wide grin on her face even as she turned.

So much for their first kiss.

" _JIIIIIIINX_ **!** " howled a loud and harshly distorted voice; the voice didn't even sound _human_.

She finished her turn to behold a most terrifying sight. Raven was _beyond_ angry, Jinx had _never_ seen the girl like this before. Her cloak had elongated in an unnatural way, stretching from the ground to nearly twenty feet in height where Raven now floated. Or at least that's what Jinx _assumed_ was happening; the interior of the cloak was writhing with ebon energy completely hiding Raven's body, the dark pitch hungrily clawed at the air before the girl.

Raven's hood was pulled forward, bathing her face in shadows, which only made what Jinx saw even more disturbing. Her _eyes_ , the dark Titan's eyes were like nothing the young sorceress had ever seen. Gone were the soft violet orbs, now four slits of crimson hate _glared_ at her from the shadows of the cloak. And was it Jinx's imagination, or were Raven's fangs more pronounced now?

Even the towering figures own friends shied away from her. Even _Ryouga_ was wavering between anger, confusion, and fear, just staring at the demonic Titan in awe.

Jinx made a quick mental note to herself, she _definitely_ hated Nabiki. It seemed her ‘ _Make the Titans angry by making out with Ryouga Plan’_ was just a little _too_ successful for the pink haired witch’s comfort.

" _Jinx_! You're going to **_pay_**!" roared the demonic girl, her voice reverberating in a cruel mockery of nature. With that, Raven swooped down towards her, the girl's cloak twisting like a serpent's tail as it followed.

"Oh, _hell no_!" she blurted out in blind panic. Then she did the only thing anyone in her position would do.

She turned tail and ran like the hordes of hell were after her.

This didn't seem too far from the mark in this case.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga watched as the two females tore off down the road and quickly vanished down an alleyway. He shook his head harshly, trying to shake off the conflicting emotions that had swept over him. _Fear_ , he had felt fear as soon as he had seen the girl. Her aura was dark and terrible, and from that display of hers, it was obvious she was a demon.

But that wasn't what confused him, he felt the fear, but familiarity as well, and a strange feeling, like he knew the dark girl was dangerous, but that he wasn't _in_ danger. For some reason it reminded him of the first time he met Jinx, catching her from the air. He had felt fear and nearly attacked her... but why had he been afraid of _Jinx_? He couldn't remember... there wasn't _anything_ about Jinx that frightened him, certainly not like the girl that had just chased her away.

He shook his head again, trying to banish the distracting thoughts; he still had a mission to accomplish. Soon enough the anger trickled in once more, displacing the confusion, banishing the fear, clearing his mind of everything but the here and the now.

Ryouga turned back to face his hated enemies... why did he hate them? He didn't recall ever seeing any of the three people in front of him before, so obviously they hadn't done anything to him, so _why_ did he hate them so? The three stared at him strangely, they didn't look angry like the dark girl; he saw a much more familiar look in their eyes. It was pity, he received such looks often on his travels, and it always stung his pride. But why would his enemies pity him? The one that would crush them beneath his heel.

He curled his hand into a fist and slammed it to his temple in frustration, letting the pain clear away his hesitation. The Lost Boy then looked up at his prey, a grim smile on his face.

"BB, Star, be _careful_ , we know what he's capable of," ordered Cyborg to his friends... how did he _know_ the Titan's name was Cyborg? Probably from his briefings, that seemed logical.

Beast Boy yelled back. "Dude! Are you _nuts_? We _can't_ fight Ryouga!"

What? Why would the green boy say that?

"Beast Boy, it is most unfortunate, but Ryouga has become our enemy, we must stop him if we hope to determine what has been done to him," explained the fiery haired Tamaranean.

 _Okay_! How had he known what _species_ she was? He _knew_ that wasn't mentioned in the briefings! And the girl was radiating chi, it sang to his in a nearly intimate way. He didn't know her, knew he had never met her before, but he recognized her chi almost as certainly as he did Ranma's but that didn't make any sense.

"No guys! I mean we **_can't_** fight Ryouga! He's a _kung fu death machine_! And it looks like someone's set him to _kill_!" exclaimed the panicked Titan changeling.

 _Damnit_ , why did they keep talking like they knew him? How did they know what he was capable of already? Why did they seem so reluctant to fight him? Why did both girls feel so familiar to him?

To hell with it, he let the anger take control again; it seemed to be all he knew lately.

"Titans! _Prepare to die_!"

He gave them fair warning and allowed them a brief second to finish chatting and get into their fighting stances. He wanted to destroy them at their absolute best, he wouldn't stand for a coward's victory. There could be _no_ doubt as to who was superior here.

Then the second passed. He dug his toes into the concrete and launched himself at the trio like a missile, arm cocked back to strike. Starfire and Beast Boy scattered, both flying up and out of his barreling path. Though he was certain he had never witnessed it before, the green Titan's transformation into a green falcon did not surprise him.

That only left the Titanium plated Titan standing before him. Cyborg cocked back his fist as well, preparing to lay the Lost Boy out when they collided. Ryouga continued his charge recklessly, picking up speed as a green projectile exploded into the ground just behind him. Just as he approached striking distance of the larger boy, he quickly slid to a stop, kicking up gravel, as Cyborg's fist came rocketing towards him.

A quick spin to his right slid him past the massive teens iron fist and along the boy's arm; he stopped quickly his back only inch from the Titan's chest. The fanged boy then shot out his arm and slammed his elbow to Cyborg's solar plexus. The strike rang like a bell, and the large boy skidded back several feet, hunched over from the blow.

The telltale sounds of plasma burning through the air motivated him to flip to the side and narrowly avoid another volley of emerald energy. He continued into a rapid diving front roll to evade the shadow that suddenly appeared above him. Just in time as well, as a large emerald hippo crashed to the ground where he had just been seconds ago. The large mammal quickly morphed back into the green elfin boy.

He turned to take stock of his first attack. Cyborg was standing, lightly brushing off his midsection.

"Heh, you're gonna have to do a _whole_ lot better than that if you wanna hurt me, buddy!" bragged the tin-plated Titan.

Damn, that strike would have demolished a concrete wall had it landed, and the guy didn't even look like it had stung. Obviously, the bandanna clad martial artist was going to have to up the ante. He _really_ wished he could remember where had left his umbrella now.

His musings were interrupted as Beast Boy morphed into a massive alligator and tried to remove his leg. He might have been tough, but he didn't want to test his hide against the giant reptile's teeth. A quick leap took him well out of reach of the emerald animal.

Perhaps a different angle of attack.

His leap landed him on top of a nearby lamp post. A quick scan showed him where the orange skinned alien was floating, her eyes and hands bathed in brilliant green energy. He focused his aura and launched himself into the air at the girl, vaguely noting the top of the post he had just been standing on being shorn off by a beam of blue energy.

He pulled back his fist once more, this time intent on crippling the airborne girl. She was preparing a defense, crossing her arms before her, but it wouldn't help. He was just about in range, when suddenly his trajectory changed wildly. A pair of green talons wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him higher into the sky.

The Lost Boy looked up and gasped as he saw he was in the grasp of a green flying dinosaur! The beast had already lifted him past the building tops, they shot up with terrifying speed. Escape in mind, before they got dangerously high, he wrapped his arms around the claws and flipped his feet forward, slamming them into the creature’s jaw.

His kick struck home with enough force to stun the beast. It released him and shifted back to a young green skinned boy. The two of them then began to hurtle back to the earth below. _Hmm,_ a three hundred foot drop, this might be tricky, especially without his umbrella. But on the bright side, the boy beside him seemed to be out of it, and the fall would finish Ryouga's job for him.

The Nerimian angled himself as best as possible, aiming for one of the taller buildings that stood below him. The structure he was aiming for was around twenty stories tall; a fall to that roof wouldn't be too bad at least. He was distracted by a phosphorescent trail of green buzzing past him, the martial artist saw Starfire soar and deftly catch Beast Boy from the air.

He was painfully reminded of what he was doing when he crashed, chest first, into the ledge of the roof. The concrete and metal crumbled and warped under him, agonizingly crushing the air from his lungs. He couldn't even find the strength to grab on before he slid back and dropped from the rooftop into a deadly freefall.

It was a few precious seconds before he was able to force air back into his body and move. As quickly as he could, he ripped off several bandannas, twirling them until they became blurring discs. This would take some serious precision, or else he was in trouble.

He threw the first batch of headbands out and away from the building, they buzzed like saw blades as they cut through the air. He watched impatiently as they swung through the air, flying down and then curving back and flying back at the building beside him.

Like a set of thrown boomerangs, the bandannas slammed into the surface of the building, some going through windows, some slamming sideways into the brickwork. But one, one had hit just as he needed, sticking out straight and true.

He threw the second batch lower this time. Then he nimbly landed on the out reaching piece of cloth. It only held his weight for a brief second before the chi he had infused into it dispersed, but it had been enough, breaking his momentum and giving the bandannas he had thrown time to impact below him.

Another drop, landing on another bandanna, and he found himself within a safe distance from the ground. With that he launched himself at the large Titan still on the ground. Starfire and Beast Boy were still in the air, coming down in a far more controlled manner several dozen meters away. That meant he had a few seconds to work with.

The fanged boy let grace fly to the wind this time. He slammed into Cyborg's chest in a destructive shoulder tackle from his forty-foot perch. The power of his divebomb combined with the long drop buckled the pavement and drove both into the ground, cutting a deep furrow beneath them. The sound of steel scraping against stone was most gratifying.

Ryouga sat up, straddling the Titan's chest. Cyborg was dazed from his attack, not even the powerful Titan could shrug off a tackle like that. The Lost Boy drew back his hand and drove it into the massive teen's chest with as much force as he could.

The ground beneath Cyborg gave way slightly, burying the Titan further in the earth. The cybernetic teen's eyes shot open at that, staring down to see Ryouga's hand resting on the central panel of his chest. The Lost Boy drew back his right hand, preparing to attack with the left.

Cyborg was implanted a little further into the ground. The impacts were impressive; the Titan could see small dents forming in his chest, both looking like the fist which stuck him.

Ryouga growled to himself in frustration. He was hitting as hard as he could, but the boy's shell _would not crack_! His _own_ hands were starting to hurt from the repeated attacks. He raised both hand and prepared to land a hammer strike to the cyborg's neck, perhaps _that_ would gain the desired effect.

Suddenly the Lost Boy found himself tumbling through the air. Cyborg's boots had burst to life, spewing blue fire, and shooting the large boy out from beneath Ryouga and out of the crater they had dug so spectacularly.

The fanged martial artist landed and leapt up quickly, the sound of metal clanking on metal heralding the larger boy's powerful sonic attack. The coruscating beam tore into the ground, extending the trench by a dozen feet easily.

He tore off another set of bandannas and tossed them behind him. He heard the high-pitched squeal of the alien as she was suddenly forced to avoid or incinerate his weapons. Heh, as if he wouldn't sense her chi approaching him from behind.

He landed and flew forward going into a blindingly fast combo, delivering strikes to Cyborg as quickly and powerfully as he could. The impacts rang loud and fast, as if he were using the large Titan for a percussion instrument.

Intent on dealing as much damage as possible, he was caught off guard when a Titanium hand shot out and smashed into his chest with horrifying strength. The Lost Boy found himself tumbling through the air, until a nearby wall caught him, crumbling to dust from the impact and dropping him to the ground painfully.

" _Ryo_ , give it up! You _can't_ hurt me. Titanium alloy superstructure and composite Titanium body armor, you may be strong, but not _nearly_ strong enough to hurt _Cyborg,_ baby!" boasted the large Titan, flexing his mechanical muscles proudly.

A thought struck Ryouga. "Composite Titanium? So, what are the blue parts then? They look like glass," muttered the staggering martial artist, slowly regaining his feet.

"Glass? _Glass_! Ain't no _glass_ on me, dude! Those panels are _Exote_ ceramic plates formed from a Titanium-carbide metal matrix, designed to be half the weight of Titanium but strong enough to stop armor piercing rounds like nuthin!" explained Cyborg, diving into a lecturing tone as he explained the technology which protected him.

Practically none of those words had any meaning to the Lost Boy, except _one_ word stood out clearly in his mind. Ceramic. _That_ was all he needed. This fight would be over soon.

Once he regained his footing, he blurred forwards to attack the Titan. Cyborg may have been several times stronger than him, but he was tragically slow. If Ryouga controlled himself, he could win.

The teen saw his charge and responded the only way he could, raising his arms to protect his more vulnerable face.

Perfect.

" _Bakusai Tenketsu_!" His finger shot out, touching the blue panel that covered much of Cyborg's right forearm.

"Oh _Crap_!" blurted out the large teen. Somehow, he knew what Ryouga was doing.

The Titanium-carbide ceramic plating covering the boy's forearm shattered and burst open dramatically, revealing the more delicate inner workings of his opponent’s arm. Cyborg quickly swung his arm behind his back and started backing away from the Lost Boy as fast as he could.

"Man, that is so _not_ good!" yelled the now vulnerable youth.

Ryouga smirked wickedly, nodding. He lifted his finger up threateningly before him. "Heh, what do you think would happen if I removed the armor covering your skull?" he asked menacingly.

Cyborg kept backing up, a look of actual fear filling his eyes now.

"Let's not find out, _dude_!" came a loud yell from his side. Ryouga spun just in time to catch the... horn?

The humongous green rhinoceros pushed him back, his feet digging deep furrows in the pavement. He shook his head; this poor fool was the _last_ person that should challenge Ryouga. The Lost Boy had spent most of his _life_ fighting off wild animals.

He had gotten quite good at it.

The Lost Boy's strength might be dwarfed by the cybernetic Titan's, but it would be more than enough to deal with the beast before him. A sharp twist of the rhino's horn and he would snap the Titan's neck like a twig.

A sharp _twist_ of the rhino's horn and he would _snap_ the Titan's neck like a twig.

His arms wouldn't _respond_! Why couldn't he do it? It would be so simple, so terribly and cruelly easy. Ryouga looked into the eyes of the green animal before him; something seemed so familiar there as well, but why-

The Lost Boy grunted when his back smashed into a wall behind him. It was all he could do to swing himself to the side to avoid being impaled by the massive horn. The rhino's head buried itself into the wall.

Ryouga shook his head in confusion, _why_ had he hesitated? Determined not to make the same mistake, he reared back his arm. As soon as the rhino pulled its head from the wall, he struck it in the temple.

Beast Boy instantly reverted to his humanoid form. The boy groaned loudly before his eyes rolled up into his skull and he collapsed to the ground, totally unconscious, a large bruise already beginning to form above his eye. He eyed the downed kid, a distasteful lump forming in his stomach as he looked at the damage he’d done-

A fist bathed in emerald energy smashed into him like a _freight train_. His body smashed into and then through the wall. He burst through the living room and dining room of some poor unsuspecting person's apartment before he finally came to a stop, buried in their china cabinet.

Outside the building he saw the Tamaranean girl pick up her collapsed comrade and hand him to Cyborg.

"Please, Cyborg, retreat to safety. I shall deal with the Ryouga myself," she pleaded with her tall friend.

"Are you _crazy_ , Star! I can't leave you alone to fight that guy!" he argued heatedly.

"Beast Boy is unconscious and you are damaged, you _must_ go and find Raven. Do not worry I have _much_ experience fighting our once-friend, now go!" she demanded of her friend.

Cyborg eventually nodded, carefully shifting the unconscious changeling in his arms. With that he turned and headed off to the T-Car.

Ryouga rubbed his jaw, trying to sooth the burning pain. Slowly he dug himself from the broken shards of glass and wood, dusting himself off. With a determined stride he walked back along the path of ruin he had created, ignoring the shocked denizens of the apartment as he walked past them.

Starfire floated patiently outside the hole, waiting for him, her face filled with sadness. She wanted a one on one fight, an honorable duel. He could not deny her. As he exited the building, she took up an advanced fighting stance. He just shook his head and motioned to the center of the intersection.

She nodded back in understanding. Together they moved to the center of the streets, no need to endanger any more innocent people in their fight.

"You're taking a big risk here, Star, fighting me alone like this," he told her as they approached their target.

She nodded again. "Indeed I am, friend Ryouga, but I could not allow you to hurt my friends further," she responded gently.

He growled at that. "Why do you keep _calling_ me friend? I don't _know_ you, I'm here to _destroy_ you!" he asked, his voice dark with anger.

"Do you truly not remember us, Ryouga? You and I met in Jusenkyo, we became close friends. The two of us spent much time together, learning of each other’s pasts. You became friends with _all_ the Titans. With Raven you became perhaps _more_ than friends," she explained, sadness filling her voice once again.

Jusenkyo? He had met the Titans in Jusenkyo?

" _Liar_! I met _Jinx_ at Jusenkyo! I spent time with _her_ , I love _her_! You're trying to confuse me!" he yelled, clutching his head in confusion. He then clenched his fists tightly, getting into his favored fighting stance.

Starfire shook her head sadly. She then leaned back into a stance of her own, preparing for the epic fight that loomed before her.

"I am sorry, friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly."


	12. Acceleration

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half

Enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

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"I am sorry, friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly," said the beautiful alien girl before him, almost apologetically.

_I am sorry friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly - I am sorry friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly - I am sorry friend Ryouga, but I must do my utmost to thrash you soundly._

The words rang through his head, bouncing and rattling through his skull, brief flashes of myriad colors filling his mind's eye. Déjà vu of the most daunting kind rocked his mind to its very foundations. He had _heard_ those words before! But where? When? Why?

_DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!_

With a roar of fury, the fanged warrior slammed his fists into the road, smashing the pavement to pieces. He tore one of the largest sections from the ground and hefted it.

"Shut up, shut up, _shut up_!"

The words had conjured strange feelings that he had nearly forgotten over the past days. For some reason, the alien girl's threats of violence didn't frighten him; they made him want to _smile_.

Starfire was already moving back from his display of rage driven might, opening the space between them.

With a heave he sent the mass of infrastructure hurtling at the girl in purple. It flew straight and true, but detonated only halfway there, falling victim to a burst of emerald plasma.

"Ryouga! Why are you so _incensed_? Never have I seen you in such a state!" pleaded the girl from across the intersection, still displaying her spiteful concern for him.

The lost fighter charged her recklessly, his mind so clouded with rage he could barely see straight. But he didn't know _why_ , it wasn't like this girl was _Ranma_! Why did she deserve his fury? What had she _done_?

He could still _hear_ fine, though. The sound of steel twisting and tearing brought his mind back into focus. Ryouga quickly dropped to the ground, sliding painfully on his already mightily abused chest like he was stealing home.

The sports car swung over his body, missing by less then a foot. He quickly rolled to the side and pushed himself into the air with his arms as the car smashed jarringly to the pavement. He landed a dozen feet away, taking a moment to gain his senses.

Starfire stood before him; her hands dug through the hood of the now uninsurable red car. With extraordinarily little effort she lifted the car up and out of the crater, holding it to her side like a batter standing at the plate.

The Tamaranean didn't give him idle time to come to terms with what he was seeing, already winding up the car behind her.

The alien warrior hollered her battle cry, straining as she swung the car through the air. It careened his way at speeds it wasn't designed to travel at under its own power.

Pretty _and_ powerful, Robin sure was a lucky guy... _huh_? Never mind, no time for nonsense. He'd play along for a bit, see what his opponent could _really_ do.

Rather than dodge the rush hour traffic, the Lost Boy set himself, digging his feet into the fracturing ground and bracing his shoulders as best he could.

The impact was _tremendous._

He skidded back several feet, struggling to stop the car from committing vehicular manslaughter. Maybe that hadn't been one of his _better_ plans; he felt the metal frame of the vehicle twist and warp in his grip. Finally he ground to a stop, now holding the sedan in his arms; a quick heave had the car over his head.

"No thanks, I've already got a ride! **_Hyaa_**!" Winding up like a big-league pitcher, he returned the errant automobile with all the strength he could muster. The air cracked and parts of the car ripped off and flew to the winds as it tore through the air towards the fire haired Tamaranean.

Said girl floated up several feet in the air, awaiting its return as he had for her first throw.

When the car approached her, flying level to the ground, wheels down, looking strangely like someone was trying to run down the floating girl, she spun wildly and _kicked_ it, right in the front bumper! The front of the car collapsed entirely under the force of her strike, all the remaining windows shattered brilliantly, and the vehicle shrunk to half its original length.

The kick also launched the now much denser hunk of vaguely red scrap flying back in his direction at blinding speed.

A smile somehow wormed its way onto his face. _Damn_ she was good! He never got to cut loose like this back in Nerima! There was no way he was gonna catch the mass of scrap metal this time, though, a few too many jagged pieces of metal sticking out of it for his liking.

With a flick he removed his belt and sent a tiny surge of chi into the fabric. The belt snapped straight into his trusted sword. He remembered long ago swearing to never use the weapon again... but that seemed like a really stupid thing to have done now. It was easily his deadliest weapon.

A vertical slash of his sword cleaved the entire body of the vehicle in twain; both halves already beginning to separate and fly by him harmlessly... wait a sec, ‘ _flash’_? Where had that _flash_ sound come fro-

His question was answered as the two sections of the car began to separate before him; a bright emerald light shone through the widening gap of the two pieces, obscured only by the nearly translucent fluid that sloshed out from the cleanly severed gas tank...

"Oh my," he muttered in a resigned voice.

The explosion rocked the intersection.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx flipped nimbly, avoiding another tendril of inky darkness trying to ensnare her. Okay, she was _officially_ freaked now! She sent off another hex, collapsing a section of the building on the demonic beast that was chasing her.

A burst of black energy dashed the wall to pieces, scattering from Raven's crimson eyed form. Heck, the girl hadn't even slowed down; she was still twisting through the air like some nightmarish serpent, spewing ebony telekinesis everywhere. The Titan's eyes, all four of them, still burnt a fiery red.

Of everything, Jinx would have to say that the eyes creeped her out the most, which was saying a lot now. The alley didn't leave a whole lot of room to maneuver, but it did help her to dodge. She leapt from the ground, narrowly avoiding another talon of ebon, and then pushed off from one of the walls, sending herself higher into the air, triangle jumping from wall to wall trying to stay ahead of the enraged Goth behind her.

 _Sheesh_! Most of the time her and Raven were pretty evenly matched, they had fought enough times to get to know each other's methods of combat pretty well. But _now_? Now the dark Titan was like a _Force of Nature_... minus the _Nature_ part!

"Jeez, Rae! Did you wake up on the wrong side of the crypt this morning or is it just that time of the _month_!" she quipped to the creature chasing her.

" ** _Jiiinxxx_!**" came the distorted and unearthly reply.

 _Stupid_! Why did she say that? Didn't anyone ever tell her not to taunt angry demons... it seemed like pretty common-sense advice! She spun mid-air, pirouetting quickly, and launching a pair of blade like hexes. The bursts of pink energy severed a pair of fire escapes, the metal twisting and collapsing onto the coiling Titan behind her.

With that the pink haired sorceress dropped to the ground and started hoofing it as fast as she could, trying to gain as much ground as possible while Raven freed herself from her newly formed iron prison.

Oh yeah, Jinx and Nabiki were gonna have a few _words_ about this plan, _that_ was certain.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire winced badly as she saw Ryouga land from his unexpected fifty-foot flight. She felt a little bad about that. It was a bit of a dirty trick, detonating the car's gas tank with a Star Bolt when it was right in front of him. But then, she could not afford to play around with him, the Lost Boy was far too dangerous to take lightly.

She wondered if he was badly hurt by the expl-

The fanged martial artist howled in rage, surging to his feet nearly a hundred feet away.

She smiled a bit at that; he was just as resilient as she had remembered him being. It was too bad that he was likely to induce severe bodily trauma to her.

" _Shi Shi Houkodan!_ "

A large sphere of crimson and azure energy hurtled in her direction, digging a foot-wide furrow in the ground as it hurtled her way. The destructive orb crackled with energy, overturning cars that it passed and sending asphalt scattering like hail. The sound of its passage was a terrible wailing that assaulted her delicate ears.

As quickly as she could, the alien girl brought her fists together beside her and gathered as much of her own energy as possible. Righteous Fury poured into her mind; fury at Jinx for twisting their friend so, fury at the people that had used Ryouga to abduct Robin, fury over being forced to battle a person whom had become so close a friend to her.

The already large Star Bolt at her side doubled in size instantly, crackling with green lighting of its own now. So powerful that she had to spin around completely before she let it go, sending it careening into the oncoming sphere of negative energy.

The sphere of heavy-hearted spirit collided with the sphere of hyper-excited plasma, exploding _apocalyptically_. A blast of rainbow energy washed outwards with enough force to bowl over both combatants, each nearly fifty feet from the epicenter. Every window on the street for a whole block in every direction shattered from the shockwave. Several cars were sent into the air from the blast, landing up to twenty feet away, now burning heaps of metal.

Starfire shook her head painfully, slowly sitting up. What by the name of _X'hal_ had happened?

" _Shi Shi Houkodan!_ "

What! No, she wasn't rea-

She cried out in agony as the destructive energies of the Lion Roar Shot tore through her body, the blast sent her flying to land painfully on the roof of a nearby SUV.

" _Shi Shi Houkodan!_ " came a third shout of the esoteric attack.

She recovered quickly and escaped to the sky, the vehicle below her nearly appeared to bloom like a flower as the sphere of chi blasted into it like a wrecking ball. Starfire quickly spotted the Lost Boy, already powering up for another attack.

Did he think he could defeat her with his chi attack? Certainly, his Lion Roar Shots were individually stronger than one of her Star Bolts, but then, the Lost Boy could only throw one at a time.

Most unfortunate that. She clasped her hands before her and focused on her righteous fury, her hands beginning to burn with vitriolic fire.

" _Haaaaaaa_!"

" _Holy cra_ -"was all that she heard of his critique of her rebuttal to his attacks.

After that he was drowned out by the rapid-fire explosions that shredded the landscape around the unfortunate human. Any hope of returning fire was lost to the fanged fighter; he was reduced to a frantic mad scramble to avoid the dozens of projectiles that she rained down on him.

The Tamaranean had to admit, the Lost Boy was quite nimble. He was somehow managing to avoid her attacks, despite his inability to fight back. She wondered who would tire first, as long as she was under the sun's life-giving rays, she could fight almost indefinitely. But she also knew of Ryouga's inhuman endurance from their long days of fighting back in the Amazon village.

A loud buzzing sound cut through the cacophony of explosions below. _No_ , it was more than that, _many_ things buzzing, almost as if a hive of the bees were nearby! Movement caught her eyes; a swarm _was_ coming her way! A dozen yellow and black discs flew up from the ground, flying erratically and curving around as if seeking her out under their own power.

It was her turn to begin dodging, twisting, and turning in the air, desperately avoiding the deadly weapons. She destroyed as many as she could with Star Bolts and employed the most intricate aerial maneuvers, she could manage to avoid the rest.

 _Augh_! A bandanna slashed her left arm just below the shoulder, a spray of green blood flying like rain. She clutched the wound, biting her lip to hold in the gasps of pain. A brief look revealed the cut was not too deep, but it burned like fire. She swallowed the pain and scanned the ground.

" _No_!" Where was Ryouga? She had lost track of him in the confusion. The bleeding alien spun around frantically trying to locate her opponent.

 _Wait_! At the base of that building, a set of holes that had not been there before, leading up the side of the building alternating left and right. She followed the path up, up… until her sight was filled with Ryouga Hibiki!

The crazed boy had run up the side of the building while she had been distracted and launched himself at her! The revelation was too little, too late.

The air was crushed from her lungs as his stone hard shoulder slammed into her stomach. The inertia of his flight and the power of his attack sent them both plummeting to the ground. They crashed to the pavement, his shoulder crushing painfully deeper into her stomach as he used her to absorb most of the impact of the landing.

Tears filled her eyes, the pain was _incredible_ , her back felt like it was broken, her arm burned, and her stomach was cramping painfully. She wanted to curl up into a fetal position and just whimper until the pain went away.

The Tamaranean was denied even this, pushed back down painfully, and straddled by the aggressive warrior. She looked up at her once-friend, now sitting on her stomach, his right arm cocked back with the promise of death. She silently giggled to herself; the position they were in, it would have caused the Lost Boy to pass out from a nosebleed when she had first met him. He had been so delightfully _shy_.

She did not know why she had thought that, having her skull crushed by one of her friends did not exactly strike her as being terribly intimate.

Perhaps one just thought of strange things when death came for them.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven let a surge of dark power incinerate the wrought iron bars that confined her; they vanished with barely a sound. She took a moment to regain her senses, the rage that had driven her this far was nearly gone. So far from Ryouga, she was no longer being affected by his tainted emotions.

The dark Titan was still pretty ticked in her own right, though, and Jinx really seemed to be afraid of her like this. Perhaps she'd keep up appearances for a while longer until she had given the H.I.V.E. sorceress a lesson in the ethical treatment of wandering martial artists.

Jinx had widened the gap a bit, but she was still in sight further down the alley. With a mere thought, the dark Titan was flying down the enclosed space at terrifying speed, her cloak trailing her menacingly. Errantly, she willed a nearby dumpster into the air even as she flew. Raven then launched the refuse receptacle down the alley, where it crashed loudly before the fleeing villain.

The explosion of garbage knocked the young witch onto her back, giving Raven all the time, she needed to catch up. She stared down at her opponent, her own anger still burning hot.

The demonic Titan was about to begin her lecture to the pink haired villain, when suddenly the girl jumped to her feet and unleashed a massive wave of pink energy that filled the entire alley.

Raven gasped, covering her face as best as she could... a moment passed, and she didn't notice anything. So tentatively she lowered her arms and looked at the girl before her, raising one eyebrow questioningly.

"Hah! Now you can't call for back up!" bragged the grounded sorceress, pointing to Raven's sparking and sputtering communicator. Raven rolled her eyes at that.

"Neither can _you_ , Jinx, you destroyed your own communicator, too," she droned, pointing back to the girls own sparking and sputtering device.

The girl's eyes widened in shock as she tore the yellow box from her belt and looked at it. A sheepish look then spread across her face.

"Heh, oh yeah... um... oops?" muttered the cat eyed girl in embarrassment.

Raven rolled her eyes in disgust once more. It was time to finish this.

"Tell me what you've done to Ryouga, **_now_**!" she demanded of the girl that she towered over.

" _Pfft_ , whatever Queen of the Fashion _Don'ts_!" rebelled the spunky villain. Said criminal then launched a trio of pink hexes in her direction. One directly at her and the other two at the walls to her sides. Rather than see the effects, Raven decided to take the easy way out, raising ebon shields before all three missiles and stopping them from hitting anything. Raising three separate shields at once like that had once seemed impossible, but now it came to her easily.

The dark Titan then raised her own hand, a massive talon of black energy rising from her own cloak to mimic it. With a simple wave of her hand, the gigantic talon slammed to the ground, each of the claws surrounding Jinx and caging her in. Seeing her quarry now trapped, Raven lowered herself to the ground and brought her fiery gaze to bear on her captive.

"You _are_ going to tell me what I want to know Jinx. Where is Robin? What have you done to Ryouga, and most importantly, _why were you making out with him_ **?** " she growled loudly.

Jinx grinned mischievously at that. "What's the matter, Rae? _Jealous_?" she asked teasingly.

The dark Titan growled again, slowly closing her fist, causing the shimmering claws of darkness to close in tighter around the villain in training. Perhaps a different approach was in order.

"What's the matter, _Jinx_? Can't get a boy to like you without _mind control_?" she asked, twisting her words mockingly. She returned Jinx's wide grin with a fanged grin of her own.

Raven nearly fell backwards at what she saw next. The young sorceress seemed to deflate at her childish question, all the fight draining from her instantly. But what shocked Raven was the raw emotion that filled the girl's unique cat like eyes. Sorrow, regret, envy, they swam around in the villain's large pink orbs.

"Go back to _hell_ Titan. Everything's just so _easy_ for you isn't it, Raven? Friends to support you, countless fans to cheer you on, a boy that really cares for you! Why should _you_ be the only one to get what she wants?" demanded the emotional sorceress.

Raven recoiled more at the girl’s words... w-were those tears running down the villain's cheeks? She didn't even get the chance to argue with the girl.

" _Do you think I wanted this?"_ yelled the tearful girl angrily, swinging her arm wildly.

Raven could only stand, dumbfounded.

What was going on here?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga stared down at the beautiful girl beneath him. Beaten, broken and bleeding, she was powerless before his might. He smiled cruelly at that. His fist was already raised, when it landed, the alien would be no more. She was resilient, but still only flesh and blood. He almost felt like laughing madly, dark emotions swam through his mind, urging him to _finish_ the job.

He looked into the girl's large green eyes. They stared back at him, filled with defiance, but also sadness, sadness for him, not for what was about to happen to her. _Damn_! Why did she have to be so _noble_? He clenched his eyes closed and looked away; he wouldn't need to see her to finish her from this position.

"Any last words, Titan?" he asked. It seemed cliché, but it also seemed like the right thing to say for some reason. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her again.

The fiery haired Titan gazed at him piercingly, slowly her lips parted.

"What would Akane think of you, now?" she asked weakly.

The simple question sent a spasm through his entire body. What was he _doing_?

He looked at the girl beneath him, her arm steadily oozing green blood, a mass of bruises forming on the once smooth skin of her midsection. The Lost Boy recoiled in shock at the works he had wrought.

What had come over him? He had brutalized an innocent girl! He’d never attacked _anyone_ but Ranma with such ferocity! Ryouga gazed at his victim, preparing to apologize for his terrible sin...

The optic beams _slammed_ into his chest like nothing he had ever felt before! The heat vaporized his shirt instantly and burned his skin. The power of the beams sent him flying up, up soaring into the sky riding the beams like a roller coaster. He could only cry out in pain until the beams finally subsided, leaving him suspended several dozen feet above the street.

He barely even felt it when his body collided with the earth.

Idly he looked up from the newly formed crater that surrounded him. His chest hurt worse than he could ever remember, repeated impacts and burns had left him in a terrific amount of pain.

Maybe, just maybe, chivalry was overrated.

Slowly and painfully, he dug himself out of his crater and returned to his feet. He saw, not too far away, Starfire struggling to do the same. Apparently, his journey had been mostly vertical. The formidable alien girl was in just as bad shape as he was, clutching her arm and standing unsteadily.

To _hell_ with honor, it was time to end this!

"Starfire, _Prepare to die_!" he snarled, letting his rage consume him completely. He started to stagger forward, his powerful will and burning spirit pretty much the only things keeping him moving at this point.

She only shook her head sadly at that. "Do you not remember me at all dear friend?" she asked in a resigned voice.

His only response was a loud growl and a sloppy haymaker. The girl was in no shape to block his attack, rather she glided back out of his range. Trying to buy time while she recovered obviously, he wouldn't give her the time.

"You have truly forgotten everything that we had learned under the Elder Cologne," she continued, still smoothly gliding just beyond his reach. He only pushed himself harder, ignoring the screams of his abused muscles. She was trying to confuse him again! How had she known who _Cologne_ was?

Punches, kicks, elbows, all flew with reckless abandon, but she avoided all of them calmly.

"You do not even fight with the same level of skill you possessed when we first began our own training, your actions are unfocused with rage," she scolded him lightly, critiquing his fighting style. How dare she? How dare someone like _her_ claim that he was a poor fighter?

"I apologize most profusely for what I must do, friend Ryouga, but you leave me no choice," she told him, sincerity in her voice. What was she talking about? She wasn't in any better shape than he was. How did she plan to beat him now? Her eyes and hands were ablaze with her own energy... something seemed slightly off, though.

The usual green energy of her energy seemed pale for some reason... almost tinged bluish, but why would that be happeni-

It all clicked! Avoiding his attacks, leading him on – he felt her energy, it was by no means cold, but compared to his boiling chi, it was an arctic gale!

 ** _No_**! He had to ge-

" ** _Flying Dragon Ascends to the Heavens Blow!"_**

He watched her fist rise, almost in slow motion, the turquoise glow surrounding it starting to spiral upwards as she twisted her fist just so. His mind nearly shut down from the shock. How on _earth_ had she learned one of the Amazon's most sacred techniques?

He would get no answers, as his world quickly dissolved into howling winds and pain.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"- and most unusual of all, earlier today in the heart of Jump City, a _large tornado_ touched down. While short lived, meteorologists hypothesize it was at least a category three phenomenon. Experts are still puzzled as to how such a freak weather pattern could have formed –"

 _Click_.

"Ha, _awesome,_ dudes! That's the first time one of our fights got time on the _Weather Network_!" cheered Beast Boy.

He then winced and pressed the ice pack against the massive black eye that adorned his face. And that was _after_ Raven's healing! Man, Ryouga was a _jerk_! And what kind of guy can knock out a _rhino_ with a single punch? It just wasn't natural. Still, considering how things had gone, he had gotten off extremely light.

The shape changer looked over to the other side of the semi circle couch. Starfire was lying on the couch, wrapped in bandages, and being tended to by Raven. She was looking way better than when Raven had first brought the girl back, appearing in a bubble of darkness from the floor.

He growled again at that. Friend or no, Ryouga really worked her over. The only consolation was that some miracle had allowed the Tamaranean to defeat the double-crossing snitch. Somehow, she had managed to use that Hiring Shonen Hunks move that Ryouga had learned from Cologne. How, he had no idea.

"Star, how did you _do_ that?" he asked his quickly recovering teammate.

"Yeah, Starfire! When I saw that tornado, I thought the whole _world_ was goin crazy!" barked Cyborg, disbelief in his voice. The large Titan sat at the table, a wide array of parts and tools before him. He was putting the finishing touches on the new panel to replace the one the Lost Boy had destroyed.

Starfire giggled slightly, before wincing in pain. " _Ouchies_. I was able to learn the Flying Dragon Ascends to the Heavens Blow the same way that Ryouga himself learned it, by helping another train in the technique. I was also privy to the Soul of the Ice training just as Ryouga was.” She shook her head in bemusement. “I had never thought to have been able to _use_ the technique. My energy is naturally hotter than most humans, but when I noticed just how incredibly volatile Ryouga's spirit was, it seemed like my only chance of survival."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you weren't certain it would work"

Starfire blushed cutely. "I must admit, there were many things that could have gone wrong, ranging from the technique not working, to the move backfiring completely and drawing us both into the winds instead of just him. It was a risk, but one which I was unable to avoid."

Beast Boy shook his head at that. " _Sheesh_ Star, you're makin the rest of us _look bad_. First you have super strength, can fly and shoot star bolts and eye lasers. But now you can make _tornados, too_! Man, that just isn't _fair_!" he whined comically.

"Heeheehe- _owie_! Friend Beast Boy, please desist from the deployment of humor, my anterior morflorks become inflamed when I laugh," pleaded the injured girl.

Raven rolled her eyes.

"The day that Beast Boy can _deploy humor_ is the day I hang up my cloak," she muttered dryly.

"Heeheehee- _oooh_! Please stop friends..."

"Yeah guys, it's time to get serious. We got major problems here," stated Cyborg, walking over from the table to join them. He was flexing his right arm experimentally, testing the replacement parts.

"Which ones are you talkin about? The fact that Robin is missing, Ryouga's a bad guy or the fact that you just found out that your skull is potentially _explosive_?" grumbled the emerald changeling. Things were looking bad, really bad.

Cyborg waved his hands, unconcerned. "Don't worry bout my brains, all I gotta do is replace the composite panels with metal plates and I'll be fine. I won't look so sleek, but at least I won't have to worry about losing my head... literally," explained the mechanical genius.

Well, that was good. If Cyborg didn't have to worry about getting blown up, then he could probably handle Ryouga for them in the future; he was made of some stern stuff.

"Something seemed strange about that fight, though. If it weren't for the fact that Ryouga was wearing the same costume from the lab heist, I'd swear this was a different group _entirely_. The first attack was well thought out and perfectly executed, this one was an incredibly reckless brawl that didn't seem to have any purpose at all," explained Cyborg.

Beast Boy nodded, the fight had been _totally_ messed up. Sure, Ryouga was good and Jinx was dangerous, too, but four on two? Why would they go from diabolical genius to school yard bully, picking a fight with them? Sure, it had turned out closer than the changeling would like to admit, but they had beaten the two Hive students... he was _fairly_ sure they had anyways.

"Hey, whatever happened to Jinx, anyway? You chased her off and we didn't see you until you got back here with Star," he asked the cloaked Titan tending to the Tamaranean.

"Y-you didn't... _eat_ her, did you?" he asked somewhat nervously.

Raven arched an eyebrow, obviously considering his comment to be rather inane. "Jinx is alive, if that's what you're asking... alive yes, _well_ , I don't know about," she muttered the last bit quietly, but Beast Boy still caught it. What was _that_ supposed to mean?

"So, what is to be our next course of action, Cyborg?" Starfire asked quietly.

The largest Titan looked over his fellow teens, lingering on Starfire and Beast Boy himself.

"We recuperate," he stated simply.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jinx dragged herself up the stone steps of the church and lurched to her secret room. A few moments of trudging allowed her to collapse on her familiar mattress. Quietly, she dug her face into the soft fabric, the lingering scent of Ryouga was still present and she relished it silently.

"Nice place you have here, I'd think about some brighter colors if I were you, though."

The pink haired sorceress rolled over and sat up quickly, bringing up a hotly glowing hand to bear on the owner of the voice.

Said owner did not appear to be overly concerned. Rather, Nabiki buffed her nails on her shirt calmly, leaning casually against the stone door frame.

With a huff Jinx dropped her hand and flopped back face first into her mattress. "What do you _want_?" she inquired, muffled by the fabric which she was speaking into.

"I just wanted to check up on my fellow classmate, see if you were okay or not," came the irritatingly insincere voice.

She let out a sigh and rolled over to face the brunette. It seemed unlikely that the girl would leave if she simply ignored her, as much as she wished it would work that way.

"Your _concern_ touches me really; I'm fine, so _beat it_."

The Tendo girl smirked knowingly. "I can see that... _So,_ did you have a good chat with Raven?"

 _What_? How had she known about that? "What are you talking about, Nabiki; I was a little to busy trying to _stay alive_. Your little plan backfired pretty badly; Raven wasn't startled, she was _psycho_!" she replied bitterly.

The cocky girl started examining her nails. "Yes, I suppose that _could_ be _one_ way the situation could be construed. Personally, I happen to have a slightly _higher_ level of respect for your intelligence than the Headmaster or our fellow students do," droned the mercenary girl.

Jinx cocked her head at that. "What do you mean by _that_?" she asked, curious as well as nervous.

Nabiki twirled her hand slightly. "Oh, I don't know; the fact that instead of standing and fighting with Ryouga, you led off the one Titan that could have really stopped the Lost Boy in his tracks. The one Titan that also happened to be involved in the little love triangle the Headmaster created," mused the standing girl.

"Then you lead the girl down a series of alleyways where our aerial surveillance lost track of you. Once again, something that _could_ have happened by coincidence. But then your communicator also failed; something that the people monitoring you said would happen from time to time due to your chaotic powers. But me, I don't really believe in coincidence, especially when they pile up like that," explained the mastermind in training.

Jinx decided to try to play dumb. "I don't see where you're going with this, Biki, you wanna spell it out for me?"

Nabiki rolled her eyes at the display. "Fortunately for you, everyone was too busy watching Ryouga get his fanny handed to him by that orange haired girl. She was just _full_ of surprises, that one. So, no one else bothered to notice you vanish down the alley, or fall out of communication, heh, seems like no one else really cared what happened to you," said the brunette, shrugging absently.

The young witch grumbled a bit at being dismissed like that, even if it sounded close to what would have happened.

"But _me, I_ happen to think very highly of you, so I made sure to pay attention to you. As I said, a slightly more suspicious mind would think that you led Raven off for a purpose, perhaps to deliver some form of message or ask for help of some sort. Luckily for you, no one else shares my _appreciation_ for you, so I doubt anyone else would come to the same conclusions... well not without my _help_ at any rate," drawled the middle Tendo sister, letting her last statement linger in the air semi threateningly.

So that was it, the girl was going to blackmail her. If she didn't play along, then Nabiki would accuse her of plotting with the Titans, something the girl wouldn't have much trouble proving if she pointed out what she had noticed. Heck, it didn't matter if it were true or not, the Headmaster would likely destroy her just because of the possibility of her being a traitor.

She let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, Nabiki, what do you want from me?"

Nabiki smiled widely at that. "Absolutely nothing, Jinx. In fact, you've already done what I wanted you to do. Just keep on the path you've started, and everything should work out just fine," answered the young woman cryptically, yet proudly.

"Excuse me? What the heck is _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked, now utterly confused. If Nabiki wasn't going to blackmail her, then what was going on?

"I've got a fairly good idea how you feel about what's been happening with the Lost Boy lately, it's kind of sweet, in a sappy way. That's the only reason why I'm the only one that pieced together what happened between you and Raven. Heh, and I was only bluffing, I could only _guess_ what you had done in that alley. I didn't know for sure until you practically admitted that you had done anything," snickered the cocky girl.

Dammit! She _hated_ it when people did that!

"But if you know how I feel, then why did you let me go on that mission in the first place? Hell, why didn't you just report me to the Headmaster?" she asked, still extremely confused.

Nabiki just smiled wider. "There are bigger plans going on here than you can even imagine, let's just say that graduation is coming sooner than anyone anticipated."

With that the diabolical girl turned to leave the room. But one thing was still bothering Jinx, something Nabiki had mentioned earlier.

"Where _is_ Ryouga, anyway?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gizmo grumbled to himself again. He'd probably have been pseudo swearing to himself, except that it had been Nabiki that had set him on his current task. Said _thing_ was scanning the city, trying to find their fellow student that had gotten lost in a _tornado_ of all things.

The diminutive scientist had no idea what the heck Nabiki had been talking about, he'd been out all day setting up the equipment for the next weeks events. So, unfortunately, he'd missed the big fight earlier on. He heard the brawl had been _something_ to see. Still, it was smart of Nabiki, using the terminally losing it Ryouga to distract the Titans so they couldn't accidentally stumble across Gizmo's work.

Heck, Gizmo wasn't even sure he _wanted_ to find the vanished boy. Ever since the Headmaster had "chatted" with the martial artist after he had captured Robin, Ryouga had been getting increasingly erratic and violent, even to other students. Sure, Gizmo knew it wasn't the guy's fault; he was getting jerked around by the Headmaster more than any other student at the whole academy.

It was just too bad about Jinx was all. Gizmo still worried about his partner in crime from time to time and he knew that she really liked the Japanese boy. A lot of the students had gotten on pretty well with Hibiki; he was actually a decent guy most of the time. But since he'd started losing it, now Gizmo wasn't sure that it was completely in Jinx's best interest to stay involved with the new student.

Hmm, but then considering what he had heard happened during the fight, there was a chance the guy hadn’t even _survived_. Getting blasted, beaten and the blown away in a tornado? What the heck are the odds of that? From Nabiki's description, Ryouga had been in rough shape even before he got tossed away in the massive air funnel.

Wait, his scanner just picked up the frequency of the communicator they had given the brainwashed student. The tiny scientist hit the boosters on his jet back and started making his way to the source of the signal. Either he would find the guy, or at the very least his corpse. One way or the other he'd be able to get back to work on his original project soon enough.

He found himself floating over a nearly abandoned section of the city, a heck of a distance from the fight earlier on. The street was a _mess_ , a large crater carved in the center of the road between run down buildings. An exposed water main was spraying water into the air.

But where was Ryouga? The crater was empty, and there was _no way_ that Gizmo was going anywhere near that water main to get a closer look. Odd, he pulled out his scanner and started narrowing the search area. Hmm, the signature was coming from somewhere close by.

Ah, over there, down that alley. Slowly he glided over, keeping one nervous eye on the small geyser behind him while checking his small gadget. He quietly glided into the dark alley, switching on a small light on his harness to light the way. The small scientist's search finally came to an end, though not the way he thought.

His device lead him to a small, huddled form lodged between a dumpster and a garbage can. Just a kid, probably only eight or nine, not too much younger than Gizmo himself really. Whew, what a smell, the kid reeked like he was bathing in garbage. Which didn't seem too far off, the long shirt the boy wore was obviously several sizes too large and it looked like it had been tossed out days ago.

What Gizmo did notice was the small hexagonal device tightly clasped in the boy's hand. The kid must have found it near the crash site, then crawled in here and fell asleep. But that didn't explain where Ryouga had gone. The kid looked to be in pretty bad shape too, Gizmo almost felt bad for him, lying there in the alleyway.

With a sigh, he took a candy bar from his backpack. Maybe if he offered the boy some food, he'd tell Gizmo if he'd seen anyone that looked like Ryouga.

"Hey, hey kid, wake up," he whispered loudly, not wanting to scare the kid too badly.

The boy started slightly at his voice and began to wake up. Slowly the kid opened his eyes and looked at Gizmo. The tiny villain was about to offer him the candy when-

"Gizmo? What's going on? Where on earth am I now?" muttered the small boy.

Gizmo recoiled, how the heck had this kid known his name! Hey, the kid looked kinda familiar, and sounded familiar. He took a closer look at the filthy boy before him. There was one thing that he had missed earlier, an article of clothing he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed.

The boy had a black and yellow bandanna tied around his neck.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki, Gizmo, Kasumi and even Mammoth looked through the large window into the medical ward where the restored Hibiki was recovering in one of the hospital style beds. Jinx was already in the room, sitting by the boy's side and holding his hand tightly. It didn't take a genius to see that something had changed with the Lost Boy.

"Heh, I can't believe I forgot about his curse, I mean I knew he had one, I just never connected when I saw the kid," chuckled Gizmo, slightly embarrassed at his minor oversight. Nabiki smiled and patted him gently on his bald little head.

"Good work, Gizmo, he might be a directionless idiot, but he's still one of us," she told the boy happily. She then gave the other two people with them a look.

Mammoth waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah, if we say anything bout you bein nice, they'll never find the bodies," he muttered well naturedly. Kasumi giggled happily.

Kasumi took a step forward and raised one of her hands to the glass before them all. "He looks so happy now, almost like the past several days had never happened," she observed cheerfully.

Nabiki nodded, looking back into the room. Ryouga and Jinx were still talking, holding hands, and smiling. The Lost Boy even had that cute, embarrassed look he usually had around cute girls, smiling goofily and rubbing his hand through his hair. Gone was the bitter anger and rage that had controlled him lately.

Jinx seemed to be especially giddy over the reversion back to his normal self. At first the girl had been livid when the Lost Boy had been brought in, considering the injuries he had suffered in the fight. But Nabiki knew just how stubborn and durable the boy was, she knew he would be all right eventually. He was just like Ranma that way, too dumb to know when to quit.

More important to Nabiki was the fact that Ryouga seemed to have shaken off the latest attempt at the Headmaster's mind control. That boded well for Nabiki. It looked like the harder the Headmaster tried to push someone, the quicker they built up a resistance to his power. And someone with a temper as bad as the Headmaster's seemed like someone that would push much harder than was needed in any given situation.

It was unfortunate that the repeated psychic attacks by the Headmaster appeared to be damaging the Lost Boy's memories. But then it was probably for the best, she doubted that Ryouga would _want_ to remember the fight now that he was back to his normal self, or at least closer than he had been.

Still, Ryouga's recovery, both mental and physical, could prove to be a good sign for her own future plans.

In a few more days she was sure her pawns would be ready to move again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven slowly glided back to her room. She had tended to Starfire as best she could; her poor friend's injuries had been severe. Raven still couldn't believe that Ryouga had been the one to do such things to her best friend. Still, she couldn't place the blame on him, not if what Jinx had said was true.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Do you think I wanted this_?" yelled the tearful girl angrily, swinging her arm wildly.

Raven could only stand, dumbfounded.

What was going on here?

"Do you think that I _wanted_ to force Ryouga to like me? I-I _love_ him, I really do, and he loves me _too_! But it's not _real_ ; it's all just a mirage," Jinx confessed, her voice thick with emotions. The confined girl sank to her knees, tears still flowing.

Raven didn't know what to think. Jinx loved Ryouga? But how? When did _that_ happen?

"I doubt you believe me; you probably think I'm just trying to play you... well that was what it was _supposed_ to be. The old ‘ _use your friends against you_ ’ game plan," muttered the girl tearfully.

The pink eyed girl continued. "I-I didn't think he'd get under my skin like he did, I mean sure he was nice enough when I first met him, but when the Headmaster made him like me, it was like _nothing_ I'd ever felt before," admitted the girl sadly.

The violet eyed Titan knelt before the ebon prison surrounding her rival. "You can't force someone to like you Jinx, it isn't right," she explained gently.

She had to lean back away from the angry snarl that Jinx unleashed at her. "You think I _don't know_ that? Every day I knew that what I was doing was wrong, and every day I didn't care! I felt loved for the first time I remembered, can you _imagine_ what it's like, going your whole life alone and then suddenly having someone care for you so much it hurts?" pleaded the captive girl.

The dark Titan thought back to her nights under the stars, sitting silently with the Lost Boy back in the Amazon village. Sharing her thoughts with him and sharing his as well. The quiet chats and just being close to each other, it had been vastly different than anything she had shared with her other friends.

"More than you know, Jinx, more than you know," she whispered quietly.

The girl looked back at her in angry denial. "Pfft, _whatever,_ Titan."

"Why are you telling me this, Jinx? Why tell me that you and Ryouga are in love, why lead me away from everyone like this?" she asked, although she was starting to get an idea of what was happening already.

Jinx glared at her, harder than before.

"Because he doesn't love _me!_ He loves _you_ , you pasty-faced Goth _loser_!" spewed the angry girl. Raven thought of referring the pasty-faced Goth sorceress to the age-old case of pot versus kettle but decided to keep it to herself.

"I can't _stand_ it anymore! What the Headmaster has been doing to Ryouga is _too much_ for me! It wasn't too bad when he was just altering his memories a bit, Ryouga was still himself for the most part, sweet, caring and kind of goofy. But now-now the Headmaster is _destroying_ Ryouga just to make his more dangerous!" the girl explained, disgust evident in her voice.

The girl then collapsed completely, burying her face in her hands. "I-I can't deal with it anymore, I can't let him keep _suffering_ just so I can _pretend_ to be happy. Everything good that he's given me, it's all an illusion, but the pain he's feeling, every drop of it is real."

Raven could see the tears falling from between the fragile looking girl’s fingers.

She was touched, honestly and truly. She had always considered the young sorceress to be a selfish and thoughtless delinquent. But now she wasn't so sure, Jinx was really torn up about this. Raven knew without a doubt that Jinx genuinely loved the Lost Boy, loved him enough to let him go, she just needed some outside help with that last part.

It was so romantic and tragic... and a little ironic. Starfire had told her about Ryouga's tragic love for Akane. How the boy had loved her so completely, but that the girl he loved, loved another. Jinx's situation seemed to parallel the Lost Boy's own tragic tale. It was terribly sad to the dark Titan.

"What can I do?" she asked the pink eyed girl quietly.

Jinx looked up at her one final time, the faintest glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Save him, save him from me."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven dropped to her bed heavily and flopped back, not caring if her cape wrinkled. She felt terrible for what Jinx was going through. But at the same time, the girl wasn't exactly innocent in all of this either, she had brought it on herself. Still, Raven wished there were some way to get out of this without any party being hurt too badly.

Unfortunately, Jinx hadn't really been that helpful. Sure, she wanted to get Ryouga away from the H.I.V.E., but the girl had no idea how to go about it. Jinx couldn't go against the Headmaster's wishes, not directly anyway, and Ryouga was apparently the Headmaster's favorite new toy.

That thought roused the dark Titan's anger once more. How _dare_ that man do those terrible things to Ryouga. To _her_ Ryouga! He would pay for his crimes, that was _certain_. The Titans, and more importantly, she _herself_ would make him pay!

She let out a loud sigh; she was still pretty worked up from the day. Maybe some meditation would help. She crossed her legs and started to bring the lessons from Cologne to her mind. Hmmm... her eyes slid to the top of her dresser. It had been awhile since she had really had an introspective moment. A quick thought had her mirror floating over to her, cloaked in black energy.

She held the smooth glass mirror before her, marveling over the length of time that it had gone unused. To be honest, she hadn't really felt the need lately, her new styles of meditation had left her much more centered and at peace, as well as increasing her abilities.

Still... she flipped the mirror over several times. What the heck, she decided to see how things were going on inside her mind. Maybe she just needed a different perspective on things to find the answers she was seeking.

Maybe even six or seven different perspectives.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Headmaster looked on, pride prominent on his features. Nabiki was running the class through her next ingenious plot. It would likely take the remainder of the week to set up, but that was just as well considering Ryouga was still recovering from that last fight.

He was still somewhat disturbed that the boy had lost the fight, but Nabiki had assured him that everything was going according to her plans. She told him that she was just using the Lost Boy to gauge the Titans and see what their abilities were. Considering the completely unknown power that the alien girl had used, it appeared to have been a wise idea.

This next plan looked to be even more fiendish than the first. It seemed possible that if everything went well, they could very well have the rest of the Titans in their possession by the beginning of next week. Yes, things were going quite well.

"Tendo Nabiki! I _demand_ to know why I have been pitted against the least worthy of our remaining opponents. I am the _unrivaled_ Blue Thunder! Rising Star of the Hive Academy! It is my right to battle with the most powerful of our prey, for only they are worthy of my blade!" crowed the irate kendoist.

The Headmaster groaned and leaned back. It seemed he was in for yet another round of ‘Explain it to Kunou’. It did get tedious after a time.

" _Dammit_ , Kunou just sit down and _shut up_! I'm tired of you giving me grief every time I lay out my game plan!" yelled the frustrated girl.

Well that was different, it looked like even the ice queen could only put up with the swordsman so long.

The kendoist complied with her slowly, trying mightily to hide his blush as his classmates snickered at him behind his back.

"Look, Kunou, just be happy you're even _in_ this plan, okay? You all know your roles, so you're all going to be helping Gizmo set up the equipment and then you'll be running through your parts. Everyone got that?" asked the mercenary Tendo.

Gizmo, Kyd Wykkyd, Angel and Bumble Bee each nodded, all a part of unit one.

See-more, Instigator, Private Hive, XL Terrestrial and Billy Numerous nodded, forming unit two.

And finally, Mammoth and Kunou nodded, forming two thirds of unit three.

Jinx and Kasumi would remain behind this time, to guard Robin and make sure no one snuck into the base while the bulk of the students were out.

The Headmaster smiled again, yes, things were definitely going according to plan.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki looked over to the smiling face of the Headmaster. She could barely contain her own smile at seeing it. It was only a matter of time before she made her move. Just a few more pieces needed to be moved into place. But if things kept going the way they had...

Yes, things were definitely going according to plan.


	13. The Wind-Up, And…

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half

Enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel sighed longingly as she leaned on the guardrail overlooking the training course. She rested her chin on her palm while staring dreamily at the young man currently occupying said training area. The swordsman was putting on quite the display, tearing apart a group of combat drones with effortless grace.

Oh sure, she knew that Kunou was an idiot, but she'd be darned if he wasn't a _gorgeous_ idiot. And _rich_ too if what she heard from the Tendo girl was true. A good combination in an eligible guy. It didn't hurt that the boy was a skilled fighter in his own right.

It wasn't even that he was stupid either; he just had a massive superiority complex. Heh, not that she could blame him for it, everyone here was better than the feeble people that populated the city above them. Their powers and abilities gave them an advantage over normal people, so why shouldn't they feel superior?

And Kunou was good at what he did; the winged Hive student couldn't understand why Nabiki had no respect for the boy. Sure, he might not have been as good as Hibiki, but Kunou had taken down Mammoth, by _himself_ , and Mammoth was one of the toughest students in the whole school.

She watched the boy in question deflect a hail of laser fire, spinning his wooden blade like a fan. Was that even _possible_? The dervish of swordsmanship then slid between the claws of a massive robot and slashed his sword through the automaton, splitting it from crotch to crown.

"Girl, you aren't watchin’ Stick boy _again,_ are you?" asked a teasing voice from her side. Angel turned just enough to see that Bumblebee had come stand beside her and was leaning against the rail as well.

The bird-winged villain shrugged defensively. "What if I _am_? Admit it B, the guy is a _hunk_!"

Bumblebee returned her shrug and upped her a smile. "I suppose if you're into the tall, athletic, handsome guys with nice hair."

The striped student then turned to watch the display herself.

Kunou had demolished the squad of machines and was moving to the finish line. Several missile launchers popped out of the walls and a salvo of ordinance rocketed towards the running teen. The swordsman calmly dodged most of the missiles, sliding around them in a casual manner. The last two, Kunou deflected with his blade, running his sword across the sides of the projectiles, and steering one and then the next until they were pointed back at the launchers.

The Nerimian martial artist nonchalantly ran a hand through his hair as the two launchers exploded dramatically before him. He then continued his noble trek to the end of the course.

Angel exchanged a wide-eyed glance with the girl beside her. "T-that was..."

"Pretty darn _impressive,_ actually," finished her impressed classmate, "You know, I think I might be starting to see what you mean about this guy."

Angel thought about that for a second.

"I saw him first, B, the guy is _mine_!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven landed lightly within the metaphorical plane that represented her psyche. The trip via her mirror had been unusually easy and smooth. Usually the trip took more effort and was a bit bumpier... well in a spiritual-non-physical kind of way.

Was it just her, or was it a little lighter in here than usual?

The dark Titan gazed at the mindscape that surrounded her, as far as the eye could see - so far as one could _see_ in a place such as this. She was surrounded by the standard barren wasteland of rocky spires and abyssal gulfs that she had long become accustomed to.

However, the _sky_ was different. No longer was it the endless black of a starless night, now it seemed a pale gray, almost luminescent. Though no sun shone in her mind, everything was bathed in a pale light, letting her perceive things much farther than she was once able to.

Strange, that. Her mind no longer felt so stifling, it no longer possessed that borderline terrifying sensation it once had. When she had first come here, she had been shocked at the nightmarish world that awaited her. Possibly a side effect of all the Lovecraft that she had read in her youth. The violet-eyed girl remembered cowering in the recesses of her own mind, hiding from the formless terrors that she imagined.

Just like a child turning on the light, all the fear was gone... then it finally hit her. She no longer lived _in fear of herself_ , and it was being reflected in her mindscape. Certainly, things were still admittedly... bleak, but a step in the right direction. Ever since she had trained under Cologne, she had begun to accept herself in a way that she had never considered before, to trust in herself and control her powers in new and amazing ways.

"I preferred the darkness, myself," came a slightly distorted voice from behind her.

The blue clad Titan gasped in shock and spun quickly. What she saw did not inspire her. Standing, rather ominously, behind her was… _herself_ , only wearing a blood red cloak and four scarlet eyes where only two had any right to exist.

" _Anger_! How did you _escape_? I imprisoned you after the last time you ran loose!" she exclaimed, panicking. The dark emotion raised an eyebrow questioningly at the inquiry... a strangely disturbing sight to behold.

"You released me yourself, Raven, why _wouldn't_ I be free?" she replied, her voice a strange mix of angry heat and amused calm. It must have been a struggle for the red clad emotion to hold normal conversation.

Raven backed up cautiously. Anger had already proved to be her most potent emotion, requiring the assemblage of the bulk of Raven's psyche to quell. " _What_? When did I do that? _Why_ would I do that?"

Anger looked about ready to respond when another Raven dropped into view. The green clad Raven dropped from the sky, landing lightly beside her red clad counterpart, and dropping a companionable arm around the girl's shoulders. The physical representation of her Bravery wore a cocky smile and squeezed Anger's shoulder in a friendly way.

"What, ol' Anger, here? You let her out way back in the Amazon village; she's been helping to liven things up in here ever since you started to loosen up," explained the green clad Bravery.

That caused Raven to pause momentarily. "But I never blew up at anyone in the village… How could Anger have gotten out without me noticing?" she asked.

Anger rolled her eyes in amusement... Raven really wished she would stop doing things like that, it was too _weird_.

"We got angry _plenty_ of times in the village. We were angry at Cologne for a w _hole week_ for what she was doing to Ryouga. We actually got into a _hissy fit_ of a fight with Robin over nothing at all and trashed the Old Ghoul's house –"

"Yeah, that was _so_ awesome!" interrupted Bravery smiling widely and holding up her free hand displaying a V for victory with her fingers. Anger snorted loudly at the interruption and continued.

"And let us not forget how we felt when we found Ryouga trying to _abandon_ us after the Old Ghoul had finally revealed her scheme. He's lucky we _like_ him so much or things could have gotten... _messy_ ," stated the red clad female, smiling wickedly.

Bravery nodded knowingly. "Too true, sister, I think we still shoulda kicked his butt some, as cute as it is, just to put him in his place after _that_ stunt," she added, her own smile widening immeasurably.

Raven could only shake her head in confusion. It was true, she had been angry with Ryouga for that, and she _had_ gotten into a fight with Robin, but none of that had been even _close_ to when Anger had unleashed on Dr. Light so long ago. Her anger had been... well, normal really, no more intense than anyone else's certainly. Compared to some of the Lost Boy's outbursts during the Soul of Ice training, she hadn't even noticed her own temper.

"That's because you released it in a _normal and healthy_ fashion, rather than bottling it up until the only way it could escape was in an explosion of fury," came a cool and calculating voice.

A new figure joined the gathering, walking from behind an outcropping of rock in a most seemly and calm manner. The newest addition to the group was also a veritable clone of Raven herself; the only difference was the yellow robe she wore combined with an intellectual, almost haughty, expression.

"We all remember exactly how _well_ you handled your fear when you tried to hold it in," Intelligence lectured, in the slightly condescending tone of voice that was her preference.

The original Raven blushed in annoyance at the unwanted reminder. So, she hadn't exactly handled that situation in a most stellar manner, but after she had learned to accept her fear, it had ceased to be a problem. Wait a moment-

" _Exactly._ You've always held your anger in check with extreme zeal, fearing what could happen if you were ever to succumb to it. But when Cologne began to teach you to control your powers, you slowly came to understand your powers. You stopped fearing them and started accepting them; accepting yourself," continued the intellectual aspect of her mind.

"And when you accepted who you were, you also accepted that _I_ was a part of you. Maybe not consciously, but still, it's the thought that counts, _especially_ in here," finished her Anger... was she smirking?

Bravery laughed loudly at that. "And it's been _great_ ever since, I've finally got someone that understands my fundamental need to kick the butt of those that cross us! I mean, that thing with _Jinx_. Inspired, I say!"

She raised her hand for a high five, only to have Anger leave her hanging. "Why ya gotta be like that, Anger?" she muttered under her breath.

Raven and Intelligence rolled their eyes. The blue clad sorceress had heard that Bravery and insanity were two sides of the same coin, but this was getting a little too literal for her tastes.

"So, are there any other surprises I should be aware of?" asked the original Raven, starting to wonder if going so long without her mirror had been a bad idea.

All three of her colorful companions began to look nervous and started fidgeting.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So how are you enjoying your meal, Robin?" Kasumi asked politely. She wanted to make sure that everything was to her favorite guest's liking. He was such a nice boy too, so polite and always complimenting her cooking.

The masked boy looked up from his meal and smiled at her kindly. "It's great, Kasumi, really great. …I'm still amazed at how well you're treating me, honestly," admitted the young boy. Hmm, why would he say that? It was like he was _expecting_ her to treat him poorly, it was a little sad that he was so negative.

On a whim, she reached across the table and ran her fingers through his spiky hair, just like she remembered her own mother doing when she had been sad, so many years ago. The reaction she got was strange, for a moment he looked ready to flinch away from her tiny gesture, but then suddenly gave in. A look crossed his face; a look that she thought mirrored her own, like he was seeing into the past as well.

"Tell me, is your mother still with you?" she asked quietly, continuing to stroke his shiny black hair. The boy's mask drooped a bit at her question, sadness spreading across his features.

"No... both of my parents... are gone, it happened a long time ago, though," he told her. She let out a small gasp, that was so tragic. Still she knew some of what he had gone through, herself.

"I know how you feel, somewhat at least. My mother passed away when I was very young as well," she admitted, hoping to share his burden. "My father... h-he didn't take it very well. It was up to me to look after my sisters, sometimes I almost felt more like their mother than their older sister."

Robin looked back at her, a sympathetic look on his face. "Do you still miss her sometimes?" he asked her quietly.

She nodded, smiling sadly. "Sometimes I do, but then I have my sisters with me, and my father. Not to mention Ranma and all his little friends. Ever since he's been around, it's been so exciting sometimes I can hardly think of anything at all," she finished with a happy giggle.

The masked boy smiled at that as well. "Yeah, my friends help me like that, too. I think we’re pretty much all orphans, but we have so much fun hanging out and fighting crime, I don't really think about the past that much anymore."

"You miss your friends, don't you?" she asked the young man before her.

He nodded again. "Yeah, some more than others. But I know they'll rescue me eventually, it's pretty much what they do," he informed her cockily. She raised a hand before her mouth to hide her giggle. He was such a nice young man, and so sure of his friends, it was so sweet.

A look of concern crossed the boy's features. "Can you tell me anything about what's been going on with my friends? I haven't heard anything since I've been in here," he inquired politely.

She thought about that for a moment. She was supposed to be guarding him, but no one had said anything about not giving him any information about his friends. She couldn't really see the harm, and the poor boy did seem genuinely worried about his friends.

Kasumi folded her hands into her lap and looked down at them, unable to hold her companion’s gaze. "Things... things haven't been going well lately, there was... a fight," she told him hesitantly.

"Your friends got into a fight with Ryouga and Jinx; it was a little scary. Ryouga, he hasn't been himself lately."

Robin's eye mask narrowed.

"What happened Kasumi?" he asked fervently.

Kasumi looked to the side. "I'm not totally sure; I stopped watching after the car exploded. But Nabiki said that the red headed girl and Ryouga were both fighting hard, but don't worry I'm sure your friend is okay," she assured the young hero.

He nodded, his lips a tight line. "So, who won?"

She smiled weakly in response. "It was a surprise for everyone, but your friend won. Apparently, she used Ranma’s little whirlwind attack on him. I wonder where she learned that from?"

The boy leaned back, having just finished his meal. He then swung his hands behind his head, a content look on his face.

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What could _possibly_ be worse than Anger running wild and joining forces with Miss Bravado here?" she asked sarcastically.

Anger started muttering darkly under her breath, but the blue clad Raven couldn't make out what she was saying. Bravery, who couldn't quite meet Raven's eyes, started muttering.

"Um, it’s kinda hard to explain, but… well, we kinda got a new roommate,” she started off slowly.

Raven tilted her head askance and stared blankly at her emoticlone.

“Excuse me? A… _new roommate_?”

Bravery looked about to continue, but then sent a pleading look to intelligence. Reluctantly the yellow-cloaked girl nodded.

"Well… ever since we started getting closer to the Hibiki boy... a new, or possibly just ignored, aspect of your psyche has risen up from the void of the subconscious and has manifested as a dominant simulacrum, like ourselves," finished the girl, blushing so brightly that Raven might have mistaken her for Anger. Raven also noticed Bravery and even Anger blushing as well, though Anger was still cursing quietly to herself.

Hmm that was odd, it wasn’t unheard of for new emotional aspects to appear - she certainly hadn’t _wanted_ Rudeness to manifest, after all – so what about this new emotional avatar would her three most willful emotions find so embarrassing? More importantly, what did that have to do with Ryouga...

A sudden flood of imagined images of herself with Ryouga, in… _compromising_ scenarios, caused her to clutch a hand to her chest. Her breath came raggedly for a moment, until she was able to calm her fragile heart once more.

_Oh my!_

Raven felt her face heat up to epic proportions.

"You’re saying that ever since I met Ryouga, I’ve been subconsciously thinking about... _that_? So much that it _created a personality_?" she asked, still in shock.

Anger and Intelligence nodded bashfully, Bravery, however, grinned broadly. “Oh, it wasn’t _all_ in the subconscious. Ain’t no shame in _my_ game! I wanna fold that boy like Origami!”

“ _Bravery_!” a chorus of shouts washed over the unapologetic emotion.

"Even worse than _her_ ,” Anger snarled, gesturing to the green clade girl, “Is that sap, _Happiness_ is going _along_ with this perverse, purple intruder!" Anger snarled.

Raven reeled. "What? Why would Happiness have anything to do with, _you know_ … _that_?"

Bravery shrugged. "Happiness is the most accepting one in here, heck, she's the part of you that thinks _Beast Boy_ is funny-"

"The _only_ part," muttered Anger

Intelligence rolled her eyes. "Be that as it may, did you really think that Happiness wouldn't take any opportunity to get closer to Ryouga? As far as that giddy aspect of you is concerned, the emotional bond was already there. To her the next logical step was the _physical_ one," explained the representation of her knowledge.

Raven fought back another blush. "Where _is_ Happiness, I think I need to explain a few things to her."

Again, the three emotions shared a nervous exchange of glances.

"We don't know, Raven, no one has seen the girl since our fight with Jinx," blurted out Bravery, not afraid to point out the problem.

That was slightly worrying; one of her emotions had vanished. Though, it sounded fitting; she'd been anything but happy after they’d returned from their recent ordeal. Things were spiraling out of control and none of them had any idea what to do.

Something else distracted her for a moment. Weren't there more emotions the last time she was here? She didn't normally interact with all her emotions, many just weren't that relevant to her decisions, but she usually saw them flitting around in the background. And the three girls before her, they seemed... kind of mellow compared to usual. Bravery was usually chomping at the bit to do something; Intelligence didn't have nearly the arrogant air that she usually possessed. And Anger, well _that_ went without saying.

Another thought popped into her head. She pointed an accusing finger at Bravery.

"Where were _you_ when I was trying to call Ryouga before all of this happened? I was playing with that communicator for _ten minutes_ but couldn't build up the nerve to call him!" she accused heatedly.

The green-cloaked girl shrugged sheepishly. "Timid kind of insisted, she's sort of taken control of the whole Ryouga situation in here. Why do you think you haven't actually realized you had a new emoticlone, despite the... _stuff_ that girl has been spouting in here?"

Almost as if responding to the mention of her name, the Gray wearing Raven fragment arrived from behind another outcropping of rocks.

"We _like_ Ryouga, and now we know he likes us... we don't want to make any mistakes, so he stops liking us," uttered the flighty emotion. Raven did a double take; Timid was smiling... well, timidly.

Raven felt slightly confused now. She walked up to the gray-cloaked girl and inspected her more closely. "You're acting differently than the last time I saw you. You don't seem nearly so timid as usual; Bravery says you're keeping her and Rudeness in line."

Timid shrugged, mouse-like. "We're all changing slowly, evolving as you are. The things you needed us to do before aren't necessarily the things you need us to do now," theorized the shy emotion.

Intelligence nodded in agreement. "Take this new addition. Let’s call her… _Lust…_ until we can determine a more apropos nom de guerre. Now that you've reached a certain stage in – **_hmph_** \- _development_ , she seems to have evolved to help you process the mental and emotional _ramifications_ of any potential… liaisons.”

"Liaisons that require two or more people in a _horizontal position_ if you know what she's saying!" cheered Bravery, smiling in a most suggestive way. She again raised her hands for a high five from Anger.

Only to rub the back of her head, wincing from the smack Anger gave her. Timid offered a quiet – _‘Thank you._ ’- to the red clad emotion.

Intelligence coughed uncomfortably. "Um, _anyway_. You are slowly growing past your need for all of us. I already know that you've noticed there are less of us here than usual. Already some of your lesser used emotions have already faded away, being reabsorbed into your psyche," lectured the knowledgeable emotion.

"We are the aspects of you that are more dominant, or that you have interacted with the most at any rate, so we will probably be the last to be reintegrated into you," added Anger, still managing to sound irate while delivering somewhat distressing news.

"You mean that you're all going to _vanish_ if I keep doing what I'm doing?" asked the blue clad Raven. But these emotions were almost like _family_ to her, she didn't realize that what she was doing would erase them from existence!

Bravery shook her head. "Naw, don't worry about it, Big Sis! We aren't gonna disappear, we're just gonna join back up, like back in the beginning. We'll all be together again," said the girl longingly, a far away look in her eyes.

"But until then, we've all got jobs to do. We need to find out how to get Ryouga back," stated Timid

Intelligence nodded. "Our opponents are intelligent, but they make mistakes and dissention is already forming in their ranks. It is only a matter of time before they let slip their location.”

Bravery slammed a tiny fist into a tiny palm. "And when they _do_ , then it'll be time to really show those Hive lackeys what we can _do_. And when we find the Headmaster that did all this to Ryouga…" The girl smiled wickedly and looked to the red clad girl standing beside her.

Anger's face was as hard and cold as arctic ice. She said only one word, but it conveyed everything that they were all feeling.

" _Vengeance_."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryouga enjoyed the sensation of running his fingers through the hair of the slim girl that lay beside him in his hospital bed. He looked down and marveled at the violet – _no_ , pink hair, that was right. He smiled weakly, he had long since stopped trying to figure out what was wrong with his memory; for some reason he didn't even question that the past few days were almost completely absent from his memory.

Something inside him told him that it was better that he didn't know what had happened. That, and he didn't really care about anything at all outside of the small seven foot by three-foot area that composed the medical bed where he now dwelt. Especially considering his companion was a lithe and beautiful young woman that seemed perfectly content to sleep the day away in his arms.

He couldn't remember too much of their time together in the village, it was regrettably just a blur now, only the feelings remained. But it hardly mattered; in their time at the academy, he had come to appreciate the girl all over again. She treated him kindly, supported him and showered him with affection. Jinx genuinely liked him for who he was, it made him feel different than he _ever_ had before.

It wasn't like Akari, either, that girl had been too perfect, and too devoted. In a way, he hadn’t deserved someone so kind. But that only made it worse, since deep in his heart, he had _known_ that he had just been using her to fill the void left by Akane. She deserved someone that returned her feelings honestly, not someone that cringed every time he saw a pen filled with pigs.

Jinx wasn’t your typical girl next door. She made her feelings clear, but she had no problem telling him when he was being a jerk or doing something dumb. In a small way, the pink haired girl reminded him of Ukyou; _she_ always had a spatula and a jackass set-aside just for him.

He was still annoyed that Private Hive had messed up bringing her into the fold. Ukyou was a force of nature all on her own, and it would have been nice to have a _little_ balance against Nabiki.

His smile widened as he continued to run his fingers through the young witch's hair. Though she hadn't said a word for at least an hour, he knew she was still awake. Her finger idly traced the slowly fading scar carved into his torso. Thanks to the medical technology available, he was healing even faster than usual, he figured the injuries from his last fight would be gone totally in a matter of days, and the scar itself probably only a few weeks later. It didn't even hurt anymore.

He had been disturbed when he had first awoken to find himself in such bad condition. Probably the reason that he couldn't remember anything over the past few days. It was obvious he had gotten into a fight, it was probably with the Titans, or so people had been hinting so far. Ryouga figured he could probably ask later. He really didn't want to know any details yet. Considering how he had ended up, he had a strange suspicion that he didn't come out on top for the fight.

"So, Jinx, any idea what Nabiki is cooking up next?" he asked quietly. Her first response was nuzzling tighter to his side, before stretching out in a very catlike - and remarkably interesting - manner. He quickly turned away to hide his blush.

Jinx turned to look at him. "I'm not totally sure yet. She said she wanted to try one of those overly elaborate super villain type traps. I think she just wants to have some fun with all the Headmaster's resources before she has to get serious about catching the Titans," she explained, before dropping her chin onto his chest and looking up into his eyes.

The Lost Boy smiled, tracing a finger down the pale skinned girl's face. "That sounds like Nabiki, she always pulls out all the stops when someone else is footing the bill."

For a moment, the girl's cat like eyes turned serious, Jinx looking away from him for a moment. "R-Ryouga... you _like_ me, right?" she asked, sounding strangely nervous. What an odd question, why would she ask that?

"Jinx, I don't like you; I _love_ you. You're everything I could ever _want_ in a girl." How could she even be thinking something like that?

Jinx continued to look doubtful for a moment longer before looking back and giving him her patented Cheshire grin. " _Everything_? Even bust-wise? I know I'm not exactly stacked there," she inquired playfully.

He could only roll his eyes, even as he blushed mightily. "Yes, Jinx, even _bust-wise_ , I'm not exactly hung up on that kind of thing you know. I'm not _Happosai_."

Both of them looked around in fear for a moment at the mention of the old lecher. Luckily, they hadn't inadvertently summoned the ancient pervert by invoking his name.

"Why do you ask anyways? You aren't planning on dumping me, _are you_?" he asked, trying to mask his rising anxiety with the same playful tone she had used.

Her carefree look dropped once more. "So, you like me enough that you wouldn't leave me if you found out I did something wrong?" she asked carefully. He couldn't help but roll his eyes once more.

"I already _know_ you're a super villain and I still love you. What more _terrible secret_ could you have than that?" he asked, snickering quietly. Really, she sure was paranoid, he'd already kidnapped people and robbed high tech facilities with her, what could she have done that would be any worse than that?

So wrapped up in his own bemused thoughts he missed her nearly soundless whisper.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of..."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg quietly entered the med lab to check on the monitors and various other machines that were keeping track of his Tamaranean teammate. Everything was looking surprisingly good; if she kept getting better at this rate, she'd be up and swinging before BB got over his black eye.

Starfire amazed him more than any other of his teammates from time to time. She was such a sweet and innocent girl that sometimes he forgot what a formidable force she was. Ryouga had had all three of them on the ropes, but rather than let the errant martial artist attack her wounded friends, Starfire had stepped up and took him on one on one.

There wasn't a bookie in town that would have touched the odds on a fight like that. But once again she amazed him, managing to send the Lost Boy _flying_. She came out of the fight worse than he'd ever seen her, but she survived where few people on the whole planet could have and kept her positive attitude. If anything, the crazy girl felt worse for what she had done to Hibiki than what he had done to her.

Ryouga was just lucky Robin wasn't here to see what he had done to their resident angel. Things would have gotten ugly, that was for certain.

Having made sure all her vitals were fine, Cyborg walked over to his friend's bed and rested a calming hand on the girl's head. Her green orbs flitted open at the light contact and a smile bloomed on her face.

"Yo, Star, how you holdin up there?" he asked cheerfully.

"I am greatly improved, friend Cyborg, thanks to your most proficient and compassionate care for me," replied the smiling girl.

"That's my girl. I knew it'd take more than some crazy martial arts master to keep you down for long." He offered her a big smile and a thumbs up.

The alien girl's smile faded at that. "Our friend, Ryouga, he is not the crazy. The Hive people, they have done something to his mind. He has forgotten all our past encounters. It was for this reason that I was able to defeat him; had he remembered what the two of us had gone through together, I would have been defeated in a _most profound_ and painful manner."

"You two went through a lot together back at the village, didn't you? The two of you were out in the woods for a solid week just working together, you must have gotten pretty close," he asked/stated.

She nodded in acknowledgment. "Not only did we train together, but we also learned much of each other's past. There was a great sharing of personal history and much exploration of our feelings. It was to be a part of Cologne's training regimen, however I also participated, delighting in the unburdening," she explained carefully.

"I feel strange to say this, but I know more of Ryouga than I know of you or any of our other friends, and he knows more of me than any of you do. This is because we all respect each others privacy in the tower, but I came to consider him to be a special friend," she admitted to him.

Cyborg didn't know how to take that, it sounded almost like Starfire was... "So... you and Ryouga are... _y'know_?" he asked in confusion, slowly twiddling his fingers in embarrassment.

The Tamaranean giggled loudly at his display. "No, Cyborg, though I feel strongly for our lost friend, it is like a bond between siblings. Besides, I would never stand between _Raven_ and the boy that she liked, I do not possess a wish for the untimely end," she finished, giggling again.

Cyborg mentally kicked himself at that. Of course, she didn't love the Lost Boy; she was so far head over heels for Robin she doubted she even noticed other guys like that anymore. Like a brother, though, it seemed strangely fitting. Star and Ryo were frighteningly similar physically yet completely opposite mentally. He seemed to be currently following the Starfire family tradition of wanting to kill his sister too, not good.

"I feel selfish for saying this, but it is not Ryouga whom I am currently concerned about. My worry is solely reserved for our missing leader and friend, Robin. I miss him dearly and am most hopeful that he is unharmed," she confided in him.

He nodded, that was the Starfire he knew and loved.

"Don't worry, Star. If I know Robin, not only is he doin fine, he's already got an escape plan in the works."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin leaned back into his yellow hued sphere and patted his belly in contentment. That girl sure could fry a chicken. Sure, he knew he was a captive in a hostile school of super villains, but now his biggest fear was not fitting into his costume after a few more days of Kasumi's cooking.

Honestly, he had given up on the idea of escaping. Kasumi was the only one that ever entered the prison area, and there was no way he could fight his way past her. It wasn't even the fact that she could out fight him anymore. He had a strong feeling that he couldn't bring himself to hurt her even if she had put on a blind fold, tied her hands behind her back and gave him a written invitation.

His thoughts took a more serious direction. Earlier, during the meal when she had run her hand through his hair. At first, he had wanted to fling himself across the room to get away from her. The masked Titan couldn't remember the last time anyone had touched him in such an intimate way. He didn't mean it in a perverted way or anything like that, it hadn't been a sensual touch, not in the least.

But as soon as she had started doing it, he had been transported to another time. All he could think about was his own mother. Had she done that very thing to him when he had been a young boy? He couldn't even remember anymore, but he was certain that Kasumi's gesture had been meant in exactly that manner. It had been calming and reassuring all at once. It seemed ironic that a girl that had grown up without a mother would have learned to play one so perfectly.

Besides, he wasn't worried about being rescued either. If what Kasumi had said was true, then Starfire had _beaten_ Ryouga single-handed. If his friends could take down the Lost Boy like that, then the rest of the Hive students didn't stand a chance. No, he'd be fine here, the Titans would be here to save him soon enough.

That and he was secretly awaiting his next meal with Kasumi. It might not have been real, but it sure felt nice having someone that that seemed so much like the perfect mother taking care of him.

Even if he was a prisoner.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gizmo grumbled loudly as he started hooking up several of the connectors of the device before him. Everything was going to schedule, but it sure seemed like a lot of work, not to mention over the top elaborate.

"What are you whining about, Giz, _I'm_ the one that's gotta haul around all the big parts," Mammoth complained loudly, suiting word to action by lifting a large device that looked suspiciously like an anti aircraft cannon into the air. He then began to move it into position several meters away.

"Lifting is all you're _good_ for, you crud munching, pit sniffer! _I'm_ the one that has to actually make all this stuff!" he shot back at his partner in crime. Sure, Mammoth was his best friend, but sometimes the goliath could really get on his nerves.

"Now, now. Language, Gizmo; a certain level of professionalism is required if we want people to take us seriously," lectured the leggy brunette that was overseeing the setup. Nabiki was now dressed in a very sharp business suit; she looked like she was heading out to perform a hostile take over instead of setting up a trap for the Titans.

"Yeah, yeah, I got ya Boss. _Love_ the suit, by the way, but I don't think you're _quite_ catching the whole super villain vibe, yet." He snickered quietly to himself.

The Tendo in question shrugged and moved over to inspect another piece of machinery. "Personally, I don't see how running around wearing spandex would do anything other than inspire people to laugh at me, Gizmo, no offence," she retorted, slightly mocking.

Gizmo raised an eyebrow at that. He was quite sure that if he saw Nabiki running around in spandex, well he was sure that laughing would be the _last_ thing he did. Heh, half of his room was already covered in his newly acquired pictures; Nabiki certainly had a talent for photography.

"I don't understand what the point of all of this is, though, Boss. I mean, I _know_ what your plan is, but it seems... I dunno, over the top, I guess. Wouldn't it be easier just to rush the tower and drag the Titans out by their hair?" the diminutive genius asked.

Mammoth spoke up, " _Yeah_! I'm totally for that plan!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes again. "Gizmo, you've been a super villain longer than I have. You should already know that that's just not how _things are done_. Besides, I've seen enough of what the Titans are capable of to know that rushing headlong into their tower, which probably has insane levels of security in it, would likely end in disaster. We need to draw the Titans out and throw them completely off balance if we want this to work," explained the mercenary turned mastermind.

The diminutive genius couldn't argue with that logic. Once again, his admiration for the stunning girl went up a notch. She didn't want to take any chances with this. He knew she had plans farther reaching than the one they were working on right now. He wasn't completely sure what they were yet, but he had an inkling of what the results could be. He was looking forward to seeing what was going on in the Tendo girl’s mind.

"Besides, this isn't _just_ a trap for the Titans. I want to see what you're capable of, too; think of this as a chance to show case your talents. Same for the rest of the class. Remember, this is a test, after all," continued the brunette villainess.

"Heh, well don't worry about me. Everything is ready to go; I've fabricated everything we need. Now we just gotta few more days of setting everything up. Hey, you think I can skip out on the set up, I've had an idea bouncing around my head for the past day or so and I was hopin to work on it," he asked his unofficial leader.

She smiled and nodded. "Sure, you've already done more than enough just making everything, I'll get Bumblebee to organize the set up; she's a smart girl. You go do whatever it is you want to do," she replied.

With that he fired up his jet pack to make his way back to the academy.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the week passed in a blur for Jinx, far faster than she had really wanted it to. The whole academy had been literally abuzz with activity. Bumblebee had been put in charge of setting up the next class project; the girl had been excited about it, too. She had started rotating shifts, sending students out to set up the equipment.

Jinx had to admit, Bee was an organized girl; of course, she still blew the girl off every time she had come to get her help to set stuff up. Heh, just because she respected the girl didn't mean she was gonna help her out; let the _other_ minions deal with the dirty work.

Gizmo had locked himself into his lab again. She had no idea what he was working on, but the little genius was almost obsessed with his new project. The only one he even opened the door for was Nabiki anymore. Not that Jinx ever actually went to visit him or anything; she had more important things to do with her time.

Kasumi had been spending more and more time with Robin, apparently bringing him further under her thumb. The boy hadn't tried to escape once since the eldest Tendo had been sent to guard him. It seemed so unreal, but then it wasn't really Jinx's problem, either. Since Mammoth was the strongest, he had to do the bulk of the set-up work, so Kasumi needed something to do with her time anyways.

The rest of her classmates were running through drills now, learning how to operate the equipment that Gizmo had designed. The flyers were being forced to familiarize themselves with the city and learn the quadrant system that Nabiki had set up. They had to be able to know where they were and how to get to where they needed to be and fast. It was an important part of the plan to have air superiority.

Kunou's situation had been the most hilarious thing she'd seen for awhile. Somewhere along the line, Angel and Bumblebee had gotten it in their mind that the boy was a good catch. Jinx could kind of see it, he was, _grudgingly_ , the best-looking guy at the whole academy, but he lacked Ryouga's sensitive and caring nature that she had come to love.

Ryouga had laughed till his sides hurt when she had told him what was happening. The two super villains in training had started competing over the boy, circumventing the kendoist completely. At one point Kunou had lectured the girls that he was no mere prize to win in a contest, but a man with thoughts and feelings of his own.

Heck, after hearing that, Nabiki had nearly joined Ryouga in the infirmary. They had all been afraid for a moment that their trusted leader might laugh herself to death. And poor Kunou, the two girls didn't even acknowledge his bold statement. Heh, as much of a womanizer as he had been back in Japan, from Ryouga's stories at least, she had a strange feeling that Kunou was uncomfortable with the idea of being the one to be pursued. Or maybe he just wanted to remain true to his _pig tailed girl_ and that Akane, chick.

Jinx snickered as she recalled Nabiki’s long winded explanation of that entire scenario.

As for herself, she had spent most of her time with Ryouga, both at his bedside and then in the training room after he had recovered enough to begin training. She had tried her best to keep up with the boy, but he was a _machine_. A few times she had literally trained until she had collapsed. Ryouga always took care of her, though, was always there with a helpful tip or a concerned inquiry.

She let out a drawn-out sigh. Damn, now she regretted talking to Raven at all. She had been so concerned about what the Headmaster was doing to the Lost Boy that she had panicked and gone to speak to her rival. But now that Ryouga was back to normal, she suddenly wasn't so sure that she wanted to let him slip into the arms of the damn Titan witch.

Was she really falling back into the same trap she had been in before Ryouga had gone off the deep end? Was she willing to let _Raven_ have him? That seemed to be the more pressing question.

" _Mmmm_ , Ryo, my back is _so_ sore, I could _really_ use a back rub," she purred lightly, rolling onto her stomach. She could almost see the Lost Boy's eyes roll even though she was looking at the stone wall at the end of her makeshift mattress.

" _Again,_ Jinx? We might have to take you to see a doctor, you seem to have gained a severe case of chronic back pain recently," he replied in a teasing voice. Still, teasing or not, she felt a pair of powerful hands start to knead the taut muscles of her back. She let out a low moan of pleasure at the sensation.

She really wanted to do the right thing by Ryouga. He didn't deserve to be a slave to the Headmaster; he should be free to do whatever he wanted. She really _did_ want to do the right thing.

But why did the right thing always seem like the _dumb_ thing to do?

And how did he get so _good_ at back rubs?

Any other conscious thoughts she might have had dissolved away under his touch.

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The week had passed unbearably slowly for Beast Boy. His face had hurt the whole time; it hadn't finally gone away till just the day before. No one had really been around to hang out with him; everyone seemed to be busy with their own stuff.

Starfire was obviously in the med lab, recovering from her fight with Ryouga. The girl healed fast though, she had just gotten out yesterday, good as new. That hadn't helped him the rest of the week though. Sure, he'd gone and visited her a few times, but mostly she had gone on about how much she missed Robin and was worried about him.

He supposed that gave Robin a good excuse for not hanging out with him, too. Being _captured_ and all. He'd have to be pretty petty to hold that against the guy. Still, it had been a boring week. He was sure that Robin would have figured out what to do by now.

Cyborg was keeping himself busy; at least he was _trying_ to do something. The large Titan was trying to fix the scanners to find Robin's weapons from further away than a few hundred meters. That and he was alternating with beefing up the tower security. They all understood that their enemies might not be content with waiting for them to come out of their home.

It was also disturbing considering how easily the Hive students had gotten into the main labs of the S.T.A.R. labs facility. That place was one of the most secure places on the planet and they hadn't even tripped an alarm until they had wanted to. Having a little added protection around the tower seemed like a rather good idea to him.

Raven had spent her time floating between Starfire's side to speed along her recovery and her own room to meditate. She wasn't sure what the dark girl was up to with her meditation, but Raven seemed like a Titan on a mission, determined to accomplish... _something_ , he just wished he had an idea what she was aiming for.

That had left him with not much to do. Playing video games while Robin was captured seemed somehow inappropriate. So, he had ended up doing the one thing he didn't really enjoy doing that much... training. He had spent most of his time down in the unused gym.

He had picked up where he had left off under Cologne's tutelage. Oh, he'd been surprised by what she’d had in store for him when she had taken him out into the forest to train. Of course, no one had thought to _ask_ him what he had been up to out in the woods; everyone had been so fixated on Ryouga's and Starfire's training.

Oh, but he had learned some interesting things, Granny had been a training genius. He couldn't wait till he got another shot at those Hive people. He might have given Ryouga the benefit of the doubt, him being a friend and all, but the rest of those goons wouldn't get the same offer.

"Beast Boy, would you like to partake in the training of the false fighting?" Heh, obviously Starfire. He turned to see the recovered Tamaranean float through the door of the gym to join him.

"Sure, Star, I'll spar with ya. Don't worry, I'll take it easy on ya, though," he replied jokingly.

She smiled and bowed slightly. "That would be most appreciated, my friend, I would hate to be wounded again so soon after Cyborg did discharge me from the medical facility," she replied cutely.

The traveled over to one of the fighting circles. On the way Star turned to him. "Friend Beast Boy, may I inquire as to what you were doing prior to my entrance? You had appeared to have been meditating," she asked politely.

He turned and gave her a cocky smirk. "Me, _meditate_? Heh, that boring old stuff is for Raven," he replied.

She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Then what was it you were doing?" she inquired again.

He smiled wider.

"Just getting back to nature."

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The Headmaster again watched as Nabiki gathered the students before her. According to Gizmo, everything was set up to his specifications and he had checked all the equipment to make sure it functioned properly. As such, it was time for them to unleash the next stage of the class project on their unfortunate prey.

Nabiki was congratulating everyone on a job well done setting everything up as well as training for the mission before them. Apparently the Tendo girl had fairly high expectations for this mission. He couldn't wait to see the final results, himself.

"Alright, everyone, its show time once more. Everyone get to your designated positions and await your signals. Jinx, you lead Ryouga to his position then get back here to help Kasumi watch Robin. We're not taking _any_ chances here, people!” She gestured sharply towards the bald genius at her side. “Gizmo, you're with me, let's get to the starting point. Everyone has ten minutes to get into position! After that we deliver the message. Screw this up for me and you'd better make sure that I never find you, got it?" Nabiki addressed the class loudly and confidently. Everyone nodded, most smiling good-naturedly.

Then the class scattered, running for every available exit, not quite trampling each other to get into position in ten minutes.

The Headmaster moved over to stand by his prize pupil and the diminutive scientist that had come to be her lackey so much of late.

"You seem confident your plan is going to succeed," he stated.

She turned to regard him smoothly. "I'll bet you a dozen robot drones that I get at least a seventy five percent success ratio," she offered the daring wager calmly.

He smiled, really, wagering on her own project. Still, seventy five percent would be an exceptionally good result. "Very well, Miss Tendo, if you do that, you'll have your drones." The young brunette smiled, then turned to face Gizmo.

"Alright, Giz, let's go, we don't want to be late to our own party."

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Raven nearly dropped her tea in shock. It wasn't every day that a person instantly appeared in the center of the Titan's massive living area unannounced. She instantly sent tendrils of black telekinesis out to entrap the intruder... only to have them pass through the hologram harmlessly.

"What in the world?" she muttered to herself. She hit the panic button on her communicator even as she moved forward to investigate the ‘intruder’. Their guest appeared to be female, a little taller and likely older than Raven herself. She had mid length brown hair cut in a stylish manner and wore a very sharp business suit. The girl was also obviously Japanese.

"Don't bother asking me any questions; I can't hear you from where I am. I'm assuming that the heat source that I'm registering in the main room of the tower is a Titan. I don't feel like explaining things like this, so listen good, because I’m only going to say this once. I'm currently at the top of the Wayne Industry building, if all the Titan's don't meet me there in fifteen minutes, then I can no longer guarantee the safety of your leader," stated the holographic girl seriously.

The image then flickered out and vanished, just a moment before the elevator opened and her friends burst into the room.

"What's goin on?" came Cyborg's yell. Starfire and Beast Boy also came over to make sure that she was okay.

Raven quickly shooed them away from her. "We just had a visitor from the Hive. It was just a hologram, but she said she was at the top of the Wayne Industry tower, and that if we didn't meet her there in fifteen minutes, then something bad would happen to Robin," she explained as quickly as she could.

"No _way_ , dude!" came Beast Boy's disbelieving cry; it was quickly followed by a shocked gasp from Starfire.

Cyborg silenced them quickly. "We don't got time to argue, we gotta go _now_. Star, you gotta fly me, there's no way I can get there in time in the T-Car, that tower is at the heart of the city."

The flame haired girl nodded, and with that they all headed for the window.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven landed lightly on the roof of the towering Wayne Industry building. She heard her friends land behind her soon after. Strange, the building top look deserted. She was about to begin looking for their antagonist, when suddenly the girl strolled out from behind the large W. She looked very smug, if fashionable. Not too far behind her Gizmo was floating through the air.

Cyborg charged forward, it looked like the large Titan was going to grab the girl and start demanding answers. Her only response was to snap her fingers. Suddenly Cyborg was sent hurtling back from a hail of laser fire. Raven looked around, just now noticing the number of weapon platforms strategically placed around the rooftop.

"Now, now, Titans, that is no way to do business," stated the cocky woman.

"Who are you, and what have you done to Robin?" demanded Starfire, but she refrained from charging forward like Cyborg. The large Titan was just getting to his feet, his torso blackened and smoking, but the damage looked superficial.

The sharply dressed girl smiled malevolently. "That's more like it, a nice _civil_ discussion. As to your first question, you can call me Nabiki. As to what I've done to your friend, the answer to that is nothing... nothing _yet_ at least."

Raven floated forward slightly. "Then what do you want? You obviously didn't bring us here to chat," she muttered darkly.

Nabiki seemed taken aback. "But what if I _did_? Oh, never mind, you're right. You see, we're here to play a _game_. You win, you get your friend back, you lose... well if you lose you join your friend. Well, unless my classmates get a little _too_ enthusiastic, then I don't know _what_ happens to you."

Raven felt her anger starting to rise again. "Do you think this is a _game_? What makes you think we won't just take you down right here? Those guns can't stop us."

"Didn't I just _say_ that this was a game?" replied Nabiki, rolling her eyes. "And as for the guns, they were just to avoid _initial_ misunderstandings. No, you won't touch me because if you do, Robin meets a _most_ unfortunate fate. Besides, I'm just a student, it's not like _I_ run the school. Now do you want me to explain the game, or shall we posture some more?"

" _Dude_! Is it a racing game? Cuz I _rock_ at those!" blurted out Beast Boy.

"Heh, _cute_. Actually, yes, it _is_ a racing game, only you'll be racing the clock. Gizmo!" At her order, the small boy floated forward.

Gizmo then activated a small holographic display from his hand; a wire frame model of the city appeared, floating in the air. On the map were four points, roughly equal distances from where they stood now.

"Now, boys and girls, at these four points are four transmitter devices. Don't worry, they're _extremely_ easy to disarm, just a big red button on the top." The map of the city vanished, replaced by a picture of the devices in question. They looked more like the buzzer podiums from a game show than anything else.

"Each of these is attached to the security feed in the Hive prisoner area. If all four buttons aren't pushed before midnight, approximately twenty minutes from now, then a transmission will be sent to every television in America. I'm not big on suspense, so I'll tell you; the transmission will be the unmasking of Robin, live to the masses. You push all four buttons, the transmission doesn't show, and you get your friend back," she told them clearly.

Beast Boy spoke up again. "What? How do we know these things won't _blow up_ as soon as we do hit those buttons?" he asked angrily.

The villain rolled her eyes again. "Beast Boy, if I just wanted to blow you up, I'd have just gotten Gizmo to whip up a nuclear bomb and _atomize your tower_." Raven blanched, as did her teammates. She'd never heard anyone make such a blatant and deadly threat against them.

"My assignment is to _capture_ you. You see, all of my classmates are _waiting_ for you, and they'll be doing everything in their power to capture you. That's where the _real_ fun is. Can you fight past superior numbers and still make it to your goals in time to save your comrades secret identity?" asked the Japanese girl.

They looked at each other uncertainly, something seemed odd; it wouldn't take them very long at all to cross the city flying. Still, they couldn't waste anymore time.

Raven and Starfire flew up into the sky, Raven going north and her friend going south. Cyborg and Beast Boy were still on the roof below, trying to decide who went where.

The dark Titan's danger sense suddenly kicked into overdrive and she dodged to the side. Suddenly the air was alight with green bolts of energy, in a matter of seconds she was forced back to the rooftop, Starfire not too far behind.

Nabiki tapped a finger against her chin. "Oh, did I forget to mention the no flying part? That wouldn't be fun if you could just fly over all my classmates now would it? Anti aircraft placements have been set up at strategic points all around the city, if you fly over fifty feet, you'll get taken down, got it? Heh, well, what are you waiting for." She made several shooing gestures with her hand.

Raven glared at the girl hotly before turning to face her friends. "What do we do now?" she asked, not totally certain herself.

Cyborg stepped forward confidently. "Same thing we always do, we _kick butt_! BB, you go east, Rae, north, Star south, I'll go west. Just go as fast as you can and trash anyone that gets in your way, easy as that."

"Titans _Go_!" yelled their cybernetic leader.

They leapt into darkness and let it consume them.


	14. The Pitch: Part 1

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't

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Akane leaned back in her chair, stretching out her sore back. She wasn't used to sitting for such long periods of time in such an uncomfortable chair... well, not outside of class anyway. The computer glared back at her, taunting her with its pale luminescence. The youngest Tendo was _still_ burning with embarrassment.

She still couldn't believe it had taken her a whole week to think to check the internet! They had all assumed that Cologne would have thought of something instantly when they showed her the card Jinx had left behind. The old Amazon knew everything about Martial arts that there was to know. Akane was sure that if Ryouga was working with a martial artist cult, the Matriarch would have known about it.

Eventually, the youngest Tendo had remembered one other thing that Genma had only mentioned in passing, that Jinx and Ryouga had gone to study in America. She didn't want to generalize or anything, but the young woman didn't think that a martial artist cult was highly likely to be operating out of America.

They had all been wandering around aimlessly, combing all the places that the attacks had taken place, looking for clues. But nothing had revealed itself, even after days of searching. It wasn't until Akane herself had drifted into her sister's room, just to mourn her disappearance in private; that it had struck her.

Nabiki's computer sat silently on her desk, the tower humming quietly from where it sat on the floor. Akane could remember just staring at it, revelation slowly dawning on her that Ancient martial arts masters weren't the only way to gather information in today's technological world. It wasn't that she had never used the internet; she just did most of her own studying in the school library. Furinkan even had a computer course, but Nabiki was the only person she knew that was in it.

She giggled to herself. If Ranma had thought that _math_ was useless to him as a martial artist, he had absolutely drawn the _line_ at computers. The boy had no interest in the mysterious machines, already concluding they wouldn't help him increase his skills. Ukyou didn't use computers much, either, she did her accounting by hand and her business by phone, probably because that was how her father taught her.

Of course, her sister's computer was password protected. Who knew what kind of stuff she had on there that she didn't want Akane or anyone else to see? Obviously, none of them had had any idea how to get around that. They had even brought in Gosunkugi to figure it out. The spindly boy had worked on it for hours... until he finally broke down and admitted he didn't have any more idea than them. He was into photography and magic, not computers.

After a day of trying to crack Nabiki's computer, they had been thrust back to square one. Luckily, her next bout of insight didn't take nearly as long. The public Library had computer banks; she had never used them but had noticed them on the few times she had gone to the building when the school's library had proved inadequate. In a way, it had seemed too simple, just typing in their questions, and having a machine answer them. But, oh well.

So, in usual Wrecking Crew fashion, they had all charged down to the Library in search of answers. Everything was going well, too, compared to usual anyway, at least until they had been informed that they all needed library cards to use the facilities.

Akane shuddered at the memory.

That day would be forever remembered as Black Wednesday by the library staff.

Leave it to her friends and family to get themselves all banned for life from the library. Luckily, the damage hadn't been so severe that the library had to close. As it was Akane was chaffing under her wig, sitting next to girl Ranma and two seats down from ‘boy’ Ukyou. The youngest Tendo never would have imagined that she would be forced to use her dramatic training from school to disguise herself and sneak into a library.

After the initial debacle, they had decided to leave the rest of their ‘friends’ back at the dojo. No one else had a viable disguise handy, and she doubted the librarian would have let a panda come in to use the library. Heck, she was still trying to figure out why they had brought Shampoo along the _first time_ , the girl could hardly speak the language, let alone read and write it. How was the Amazon supposed to use a machine she had never seen before in a language she couldn't understand?

Honestly, the girl had been in Japan forever and she _still_ hadn't learned the language completely. Still, she didn't want to tease Shampoo about it. Secretly, Akane was a little worried that the girl had some sort of learning disability. If that was the case, then she'd feel absolutely _terrible_ about making fun of her for it. It'd be like making fun of Ryouga for getting lost.

Not that that stopped _some_ people. She glared mildly at the ‘boy’ next to her.

Akane had been a little worried about bringing Ranma in on this. Sure, he wasn't nearly as backwards as Shampoo about life in the modern world, but she still couldn't shake the image of him blasting the computer, yelling a challenge to the tiny demons that lived inside it.

She giggled to herself again, she was just being silly. Really, none of them knew how to use the machines that well; they had had to get help from the librarian to get them started. Curse them and their active and healthy lifestyles! Ranma had even stooped to flirting with a few younger boys to get them to teach her how to use the search engine. That had been a bit annoying, to both her and the handsome chef not too far down, but it _had_ been helpful.

Another sigh escaped her lips. And that's where they had been for the past day or so, trying to find anything they could on the mysterious H.A.E.Y.P. Unfortunately, it hadn't been going that great; apparently sinister underground cults didn't post convenient websites telling you where they were located. Ranma had decided to try to find information about Ryouga's new partner, the girl that called herself Jinx. She idly wondered how he was doing, that and she wanted to get her eyes off her own screen for a few minutes.

 _"Psst, hey Ranma_ ," she whispered loudly to the red head next to her. Ranma turned to face her, and Akane nearly gasped out loud. The poor girl’s face was gaunt and grayish; her eyes bloodshot and large bags resided under her once blue orbs. Akane cringed a bit, apparently research didn't agree with the master martial artist.

The busty red head mumbled something in a zombie like fashion; Akane guessed it was a question. "Have you found out anything about Jinx, yet? I haven't found anything about this haeyp thing," she grumbled quietly.

At that, her fiancé's eye's glazed over and a far away look descended on her face.

"Jinx. See also: hex, bewitch, glamour, witch, enchant, curse, whammy. Jinx, noun: an evil spell, a person believed to bring bad luck to those around him or her. Jinx, verb: foredoom to failure; cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something," droned the short girl, her voice dead and emotionless. After she finished reciting her knowledge, the cursed girl shook her head violently.

"Whoa, that was weird, almost like I _learned_ something... Anyway, I tried a few other things that pop's mentioned, like the pink hair and cat's eyes. The pink hair stuff actually turned out pretty interesting, and apparently there are a lot of different products that can give you the results you want without the mess, and they won't fade in the shower. I dunno Akane; do you think pink hair would work for me? Ya'know, kinda soften up the whole image, not such a harsh, red color," Ranma asked, fingering her hair, and giggling slightly.

Akane shook her head sadly. His mind was obviously reaching its limits and was starting to break down. Though, she thought idly, pink _would_ probably work on Ranma, but there was no way Akane herself could pull off pink hair. Absently she reached over and bopped her fiancé mildly on the head

This seemed to bring the part-time-girl back to her senses. She shook her head again. "Sheesh, thanks Akane, I needed that. What I was tryin to say, was that I couldn't find anything out like that. That and... um, I haven't made any real progress into the... _ulp_... um, I haven't really looked too much into the cat's eye thing... " he finished hesitantly.

Well, _that_ she could understand. She gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder. He was trying, and that was all she could ask from him at this point. She looked further down, to Ukyou's terminal.

"Hey, Ukyou, have you found anything yet?" she asked quietly again. Ukyou, the smart girl she was, had decided on a different tactic. While Akane was looking up the Haeyp, and Ranma was researching Jinx, Ukyou had found something a little more specific. Genma had told them that H.A.E.Y.P had stood for the Hive Academy for Extraordinary Young People. So rather than look for the whole thing, she had opted to figure out what the Hive part was, since it seemed to be the central thing.

"Oh, only fifteen million or so results for hive." The normally pretty girl groaned, letting out a long sigh. "If it weren't for the fact that they took Kasumi too, I'd almost be ready to let them keep the jackasses."

Ranma giggled a bit, even Akane smiled weakly. Her only regret about Kunou's kidnapping was that they didn't take his _sister_ with him. But the rest of them... even Ryouga, they needed to get back. Even if only so they could pummel the Lost Boy themselves. Ukyou continued. "I just wish I had something else to _work_ with, I tried martial arts and cults, but nothing came up for those so far either."

The red head between them nodded, grumbling. "I wish we knew something else about this Jinx girl. Gray skin, pink hair, cat's eyes, is that all we gotta work with?" She then started mumbling to herself. "Dark clothes... " Akane saw him type furiously, hit the enter button. "Nuthin." She grumbled. "Preference for lost jerks... " _click-click-click_ "Nuthin". Akane giggled at that. "Grr, what else _is there_... Jinx and bad guy?"

Akane rolled her eyes at that, Ranma was _really_ reaching now. With an agonized sigh, she slowly returned her gaze to her own computer. What combination of words could she try next? She didn't want to say anything, this being her idea and all, but she was starting to fear that it was a big waste of time. Maybe it was time to just swallow her pride and –

"Hey guys, _check it out_!" Ranma nearly shouted. A harsh shushing from the librarian quieted the girl down quickly, though. Excited, Akane leaned over to see what the boy/girl was talking about. It appeared to be some American newspaper's website; she wasn't sure how that would help. The thing which Ranma was pointing out was a title at the center of the page; it read "Titans beat bad guys!" The two last words, bad and guy, were underlined in red by the computer.

Too impatient for his companions to read it themselves, the master martial artist pointed to the middle of the report, another word highlighted as well, the word Jinx. "Look you two, this thing is a few years old, but it's about a fight that happened back in the states, between these superhero guys and three bad guys. It says there, that one of the bad guys was a pink haired girl, that the Titan's said was named Jinx, was one of them, along with her two partners. Apparently, they had kicked the Titans out of their own tower, but then the good guys came back and kicked their butts. It even says here that the Titan's indicated a tie between the three villains and a group named H-I-V-E," he lectured them excitedly.

Ukyou rolled her eyes. "Um, Ranchan, those letters spell _hive_ ," she muttered.

Ranma looked slightly insulted at that. "I know _that,_ Ukyou."

The cross-dressing chef continued. "Then why are you spelling it out instead of just saying it?" she asked.

The cursed boy looked at her, then suddenly it dawned on him what she had meant. He pointed to the screen. "See here, they mention the hive, but they got dots between the letters, those're periods, right? That means that the word is an acro-acri-accord-"

"Acronym" Akane added helpfully.

The red head shot her a thankful look. "Yeah, that's it, just like that haeyp thing."

Akane started reading the article herself. "Ranma, does it say where this attack took place?" she asked, too impatient to find it herself.

The middle girl nodded happily. "Say's it happened in a place called Jump City, over in America. Heh, looks like our luck is finally kickin in, we gotta place to start lookin now!" cheered the happy curse victim.

"No way!" whispered the disbelieving chef at her own computer. Ranma and Akane both got up and went to see what she was looking at now.

"What's up Ucchan?" asked their mutual fiancé.

Ukyou pointed to the screen. "I know what group that Ryouga joined is now. H.I.V.E. stands for Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination!" she explained fearfully.

Ranma scratched her head again. "Hmm, kinda fitting, Ryouga's got the international and the vengeance parts down already. Maybe they got him giving lectures or something?" she asked curiously.

Akane whacked him again, not quite as gently this time. "What does that mean Ukyou?" she asked fervently.

The okonomiyaki chef looked back at them both, a disbelieving look still on her face.

"It means that Ryouga is a _super villain_!"

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Cyborg fell silently through the night air. In retrospect, jumping from the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the city suddenly didn't seem to be the clever idea he had first thought it was. He didn't exactly have the ability to fly like his three teammates, and leaping suicidally from tall buildings was more of Robin's thing than his.

As it was, the ground was in a big rush to meet him. The wind tore past him, nearly deafening his sensitive sensors. Nervousness ate away at his heart as he continued to plummet, having reached terminal velocity seconds ago. Still, he'd seen Robin do this hundreds of times, he was sure he could pull it off... Of course, a little luck and some well-placed prayers never hurt.

His fall continued unabated until nearly the fifteenth story, the ground starting to loom below him menacingly. Making a few quick calculations in his head, Cyborg fired his boot jets for a fraction of a second - just enough to bring him within an arms length of the building side. This was gonna be the tricky part, it was gonna take split second timing and if he messed up... well, Cyborg didn't have a hundred of the king's horses or his men to put him back together again.

What the heck did that even mean anyway; what were the dang horses gonna do in the first place?

He shook his head to clear it of meaningless distractions. Gravity waited for no man, such as he was anyway. With a minor feat of strength, he shot his arm out, burying his hand deeply into the concrete of the buildings wall and splayed his fingers. Instantly his wrist disengaged and released from the end of his arm. His hand quickly vanished from his sight; the only reminder of his missing limb was the long high tensile cable that was currently shooting from the stump of his wrist at high speeds.

He could hear the motorized winch in his forearm squeal loudly in protest at the rapid deployment, the friction alone already beginning to slow his frenzied free fall. Around five stories, far too close to the harsh pavement below, he kicked in his boot jets again, full blast. At the same time, he started applying the brakes on the winch housed in his arm; the squeal it let out tripled in intensity, causing his teeth to grind together painfully.

In a gradual manner, his decent began to slow. From his original suicidal speeds, he slowed to ‘simply crazy’ speeds, then ‘foolish’ speeds, passed through ‘Drunken Frat Boy’ speeds and finally reached the coveted ‘Not Going To Die From This’ speeds that he so desired.

He landed with a massive crash, still traveling at speeds that caused the sidewalk below him to shatter like glass. But it was well within his tolerances. With another heave, he felt his hand dislodge from the ten or so stories that it resided above him. Another few moments and the extended limb was retracted completely and he was ready to go again.

"That's what I'm _talkin_ bout, baby! Cyborg is in _da house_!" Eat your heart out _Robin_ ; there was a new highflying acrobat on the prowl, now! On second thought... he'd probably stick with the T-Car; that had probably been one of the most freaked out experiences of his _life_! He hadn't had much choice, though; it wasn't like he had the time to take the elevator or anything.

As it was, he knew he was going to have to make up the most time. He wasn't nearly as mobile as his other teammates, so getting across the city in and of itself was going to be a challenge. Cyborg was just going to have to be that much more forceful with any opposition he met along the way.

His mouth curved into a vicious grin.

That was fine by him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki watched the last of the Titan's leap from the roof of the building they were on. She shook her head in amusement, not even Ranma would have leapt from a building this tall without a little hesitation. But the four teens before her, they had all jumped without a second thought, and she was pretty sure the big guy, Cyborg, _couldn't fly_. She smiled honestly; she must be getting nostalgic about home or something.

"Um, hey Boss, were you serious about the ‘nuking the tower’ thing?" asked Gizmo from where he floated beside her, his voice sounded strangely nervous.

She rolled her eyes. "Of _course not_ , Gizmo, I just wanted to shock them. I'm just a little ambitious, I'm not a _sociopath_ ," she informed him, grinning widely. He nodded happily and chuckled a bit. "Besides, if we actually pulled something like _that_ , we'd have heroes from every corner of the _planet_ popping up to wipe us out, not to mention the government dropping on us like a _hammer_. There's _no way_ they'd let something like that go unanswered."

"I suppose you're right, besides, I don't think I wanna get involved with that kind of stuff," replied her tiny companion.

She nodded again. "Really, such crude tactics are just the mark of an amateur. Anyone can _hurt_ people to get what they want. Trust me, after living with Godlike martial artists for several years, watching them destroy buildings with one finger and then cringe at the sound of my voice, one learns that intelligence and persuasion can be _far more_ powerful than even the most ancient of Chinese secrets," she bragged proudly.

With that she pulled her yellow, hexagonal communicator from her suit jacket. The dark and silent face of her classmate Kyd Wykkyd appeared in the tiny screen. "Kyd Wykkyd, swap out the players. Send Goalie A to goal C, Goalie B to goal D and Goalie C to goal A. After that come here and take Gizmo to his position then get into yours. You got all that?"

The black-cloaked youth nodded confidently and signed off. She wasn't sure whether he just wouldn't talk or _couldn’t_ talk, but frankly she didn't care. He was competent and didn't annoy her with dumb questions, both excellent traits in a subordinate. And his abilities were useful as well.

The middle Tendo turned back to face her diminutive companion. "Can you set up the view screens before you go? I want to see how this goes down and make sure nothing goes wrong." she asked him politely. He nodded, of course, and pushed a small button on his suit. From behind an air conditioning unit rolled a small black cart; it stopped before them and began to unfold in a very cool manner.

When it was done, a very stylish monitoring suite was revealed. There were eight monitors, displaying various shots of the Titans as they ran through the streets. A nice communications system, so that she could talk to everyone without having to use her communicator, and even a small screen showing Robin's status back in the academy. At the center of all of this was a larger monitor displaying an overhead map of the city. Displayed on the map where the locations of the anti aircraft cannons that Billy Numerous was manning, the positions of her classmates where they lay in ambush, the movements of the Titans, and finally, the end zones for each "course".

"Good work; looks very nice, too, I see you're taking my advice on the aesthetic design," she praised him happily.

He smiled sheepishly. "Well, you want us to look professional, and like you said, it's easier to sell something when it looks nice," he muttered quietly.

She was already in the works for setting up a dummy corporation to start selling some of the boy's less dangerous and more useful items in a way that wouldn't be traceable back to them. Heck, they'd probably get rich from that _alone_ without any need for criminal activities... once they had the patents anyway. But then, what fun would _that_ be?

In a flash of darkness, Kyd Wykkyd appeared before them. Nabiki looked at her expensive watch and nodded with approval. "Good time, now you go have fun you crazy kids."

She waved them off. Gizmo waved happily while Kyd Wykkyd nodded smartly. The taller boy then lifted his arm to his side, holding out his cloak dramatically behind Gizmo. Then with a dramatic wave, he swung his cape in, engulfing the small scientist and then himself, both of them vanishing in a black blur into the ground.

That was _so cool_!

With a chuckle she turned back to her monitors, it looked like things were just getting started.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy pulled up just before hitting the ground, coming out of his power dive, and converting all his downwards inertia into pure speed. His Peregrine falcon form was ideal for insanely fast descents and he had taken advantage of it fully. He was now soaring down the street faster than the few cars that still graced the roads at this late hour.

He kept his keen eyes scanning the air around him. The green changeling knew that there were people lying in wait for him and he didn't want to be caught by surprise this time. He also made sure to stay relatively close to the ground, he didn't know how accurate those big guns of Nabiki’s were, and he had no desire to find out. The emerald falcon knew that he had a few miles to cover at the least, and he had a little less than twenty minutes to get there. If he were able to just fly over the city, he probably could have been there in less than half that time, if he didn't get barbequed first anyway.

This whole thing was way past freaky. Who the heck was that girl up on the roof, and why was she running them through this dumb race? It didn't have any point as far as he could tell. They had Robin already; why not just order them to surrender or something like that? Why go to all this trouble? Something didn't smell right, and he didn't mean the girls perfume, either... actually, that Nabiki girl had smelled _nice_ now that he thought about it.

There was only _one_ thing that he _was_ sure of. Sure, it might be selfish, but he sure hoped that _Ryouga_ wasn't waiting at the end of his race.

And so he flew, trying to keep to well-lit areas so he couldn't be easily ambushed, and hoping desperately that he didn't forget where he was supposed to be going.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire flew as fast as she could down the streets. She was tempted to forgo the safety of the ground and take to the skies; massive energy weapons or no. Robin's safety was the only thing that mattered to her at this moment. Their young leader's identity seemed to be his most prized possession, and she would not allow these cruel villains to strip that from him for their own amusement. Frankly, she pitied anyone that got in her way on this grim night.

She had already been flying for several minutes, making excellent time. It seemed almost certain that something was going to happen soon, she was already close to the halfway point without meeting any opposition whatsoever.

As such, she was not overly surprised when a yellow sphere shot out of a nearby alleyway and hurtled in her direction. It seemed to be moving insultingly slowly after all she had been through at the village. A gentle spin in the air took her above the orb, letting it pass harmlessly below her. Giggling at the weak attack, she did not even slow, flying down the street furiously fast.

A nasally voice cried out behind her. "Hey, _get back here_! I'm supposed to distra…" the voice quickly died out as the distance between them increased. She looked back and waved to the white clad boy receding into the distance, giggling happily.

Only to let out a gasp as a powerful hand wrapped around her leading wrist. That was all she had time to do before she found herself pulled into a rapid spin.

Suddenly, the hand released her sending her careening through the air. With a harsh crash she was impacted into the brickwork of a nearby building. She let out a low groan and looked out of her personalized crater to see what had just happened.

Floating in the air before her was a strange boy she had never seen before. The dark youth was wearing a dark blue spandex outfit covered by a midnight black cloak that covered his head with a twin peaked cowl. The cowl didn't cover his dark red eyes, but dipped sharply to cover his nose, almost creating a beak like appearance to his pasty blue face.

The airborne villain simply looked back at her impassively. Slowly he raised a hand and waved a single finger back and forth in admonishment.

A gasping and wheezing form drew her attention to the street. " _No... fair runnin… off like that_!" choked out the exhausted boy, now leaning over and grasping his chest tightly.

Starfire looked back and forth between the two villains before her. Slowly she felt her eyes heat up as menacingly emerald light began to tint her vision. In a terrible display of power, she arched her back, releasing her jade energy in a brilliant sphere of destruction around her. Instantly, the brickwork and glass was vaporized for several feet in every direction.

Ominously, she floated forward to meet her two attackers. "I am very sorry, villainous fiends, but you have found me in a most unpleasant of moods this night," she stated politely, then cracked her knuckles threateningly.

"I am sad to say that the next few moments shall be _most_ unpleasant for you,"

The two boys stared at each other, nervous expressions blooming on their faces.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven had given up on the subtle approach; it was time to show these Hive jokers just what she was capable of. Rather than take the low road like her friends appeared to have done, she was flying high over the rooftops. The night sky was lit up like day thanks to the massive hail of green laser fire that assaulted her, but most of it wasn't even coming close. Anything that did hit her bounced harmlessly off her ebon shields, the only effect she felt was the annoyance of a particularly turbulent flight.

Personally, she figured the higher she was, the less likely she would be intercepted by the unknown number of Hive students that were prowling the streets, waiting for a shot to take her down. And after she had gotten over the initial shock of having anti aircraft cannons blazing away at her, she had realized they weren't a terrible threat to someone of her powers.

True, she couldn't fly nearly as fast as Starfire. Really what she did wasn't technically flying; she had always considered it to be levitating. Besides, her alien friend could reach the speeds necessary for intergalactic travel once she left the atmosphere, so it wasn't really a big surprise she had the advantage. Still, the dark Titan felt she was making good time, artillery, or no artillery...

Hmm, that was odd, the repeated explosions against her telekinetic shields must have been affecting her ears; she was starting to hear a loud buzzing.

A strange sound came from right above her, and suddenly she felt a presence awfully close to her. This was confirmed by a low no-nonsense voice whispering in her ear. "Hey girl, I think you forgot about that fifty-foot rule that Biki mentioned."

Raven spun over as quickly, to find a dark-skinned girl wearing a bee suit flying directly above her, only a few inches separating them.

Raven could only stare with wide eyes. How had this girl gotten so _close_ to her? The striped girl smiled wickedly and reared back, driving a painful boot into Raven's stomach.

"Have a nice _trip_!" Raven heard as she plummeted to the earth below.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Private Hive stood diligently in the center of the road, bravely awaiting the arrival of his Titan opponent for the night. The self-proclaimed soldier ignored the strange looks from the passing pedestrians; they were nothing to him now. And thankfully traffic was light this close to midnight. There were still a few cars here and there, but they generally slowed and gave him a wide berth, some of the ruder drivers shaking fists and yelling. Not that he cared.

He knew it was Cyborg coming his way, but he was confident his skills would let him deal with the civilian easily enough. Maybe none of the other students cared, but he was deeply offended by the fact that everyone expected him and all the others in his position to fail. It was practically a part of the plan that the Titans would beat all students that were playing the first line of defense.

They hadn't been ordered to hold back or anything, either, it was like Nabiki and the Headmaster just assumed that their best wouldn't be good enough to stop the Titans coming their way. Well there was _no way_ he was going to go along with _that_ game plan. The young soldier was going to stop Cyborg, here and now, without _anyone else_ 's help. He was going to capture the Titan single handily and prove that the first students were every bit as good as the new students that the Headmaster had recruited so recently.

He had eagerly been awaiting a chance to make up for his failure back in Japan as well. Private Hive shuddered at the distant memory. The spatula had been **so** _huge_!

The Private was no slouch as far as fighting went. He didn't have any superpowers or super strength like many of his teammates. He was forced to get by on his skill and training alone, and for a long time it had seemed like more than enough. He was used to fighting people with powers beyond the mortal ken. But _that girl_ in the restaurant! She had been like nothing he'd ever seen before; she'd been all over him, hitting every opening and sending him reeling like he'd been a pre-schooler!

The young soldier shook his head again. He'd show them, he'd show _them all_.

Private Hive whipped up his communicator as it began to beep loudly. "Private Hive reporting, _sir_!"

Nabiki's small image rolled its eyes at his response. "If you have to do that, could you at least call me _ma'am_? Cyborg is coming your way at high speeds, get ready to engage," she stated calmly.

He looked up and started scanning the streets before him... nothing. Nothing that hadn't been there before, anyway. He looked back to the small device. "No visual contact yet, sir!" he barked again.

She looked away from the communicator for a moment, apparently checking something off screen. The brunette then turned back to him. "Are you sure? He's getting _really_ close and he's moving pretty fast," she asked again, in a slightly patronizing way.

The young villain looked up, again. He still didn't see the bulky cybernetic Titan! Just the usual pedestrians and traffic that had been steadily flowing for the past half hour or so.

" _Idiot_! He's almost on _top of you_!" yelled Nabiki's tiny voice from the device.

He looked around frantically now! Where was he? Was he underground? Wait, _the cars_! He looked to the side just in time to see a car in the oncoming lane suddenly gun the engine and swerve in his direction! Sitting behind the wheel, grinning maniacally, was the large teen, wearing a black sweater with a hood to cover his cybernetics from a distance!

The car careened towards him; it seemed the Titan was intent to run him down. No problem for him, though, he had reflexes honed from hundreds of hours of practice. With graceful ease he slid to the side, letting the front of the speeding vehicle rush past him. He began to bring his shield up to start taking the car apart -

\- when the car’s door opened.

Private Hive felt himself spin through the air, flying head over heels. The world spun crazily around him until the pavement stopped the crazy spin in a harsh and painful manner.

"Didn't your momma ever teach you not to _stand in the middle of the road_?" came a loud, booming voice from the car as it sped off into the night.

It was the last thing that he heard before the darkness overwhelmed him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki nearly collapsed to the ground from laughing so hard! The guy – _and the car_ – and then he – _Bwahahaha_!

Oh, she should have felt bad. Really, she _should_ have told Private Hive that Cyborg had grabbed a shirt from a passing clothesline and then jacked a car. But then, would he have really _learned_ anything?

Oh _man_.

That'd teach him to call her _sir_!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg finally stopped laughing a few moments later. Man, that guy hadn't even seen him _coming_! He didn't need no fancy Fu skills to care of these guys! Sure, he felt a bit bad about stealing a shirt and hotwiring a car, but it _was_ an emergency. Besides, how else was he supposed to get across town in time? Take the bus?

He was sure the car's owner wouldn't mind if Cyborg returned his car before the guy had to go to work.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Billy Numerous sat impatiently in his artillery piece. He was in one of the guns that were watching over Beast Boy, which meant he hadn't had anything to do yet. Heck, all the real fun was going on over on the side with Raven. Those guys had been having a _wild time_ trying to take that girl down.

As it was, he was lazily trailing the emerald changeling as it breezed down the street. His attention was diverted when the small view screen on the edge of his Heads-Up Display came to life. The face of Billy Numerous filled the screen.

"Hey Billy! You reckon that green bird thing is fifty feet in the air?" asked Billy.

Billy looked through his own scope and spotted the bird in question again. "Well _shoot_ Billy, I don't know. I'm not sure what'n fifty feet looks like from way up here!" he replied cheerfully.

"Hmm, ya think we oughta start shootin then, ya know, just to make sure an all?" inquired Billy politely.

"Ya'know, I think we oughta! Just to be on the safe side," replied his similarly minded compatriot.

" _Yeehaaww_!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy pin wheeled desperately to the side to avoid incoming projectiles. They blew a large hole in the pavement, utterly destroyed a minivan, and tore a massive chunk from the wall of a nearby building.

What the _heck_ was going _on_? He was barely _ten feet_ off the ground, why the heck were people shooting at him? Another salvo of anti aircraft artillery descended upon him. He spun crazily toward one of the buildings, morphed into a monkey and rebounded off the wall in the opposite direction, then morphed into a bobcat, leaping across the roofs of the cars parked along the side of the road.

The large bolts of energy tore into the scenery around him, tearing up the landscape like a World War Two movie! Walls were shattering, cars were tossed into the air... and he was starting to feel a case of Shell Shock coming on. The emerald changeling was sure as heck not in the mood to see what one of those shells would do to him if they connected!

He was changing frantically now, kangaroo, leopard, mountain goat, heck he did anything he could think of to stay one step ahead of the carnage that was about five feet behind him! What the heck was he gonna do-

The ground ahead of him exploded, a massive metallic claw shooting from the pavement to close around him. He quickly shifted to a hummingbird and zipped between the closing titanium digits and ducked behind the creatures back. He then changed to a monkey and clung desperately to the robot's back.

He felt the massive robot he was riding shudder and jolt several times; the booming sound of the explosions just on the other side of the machine rattling his bones. After several seconds, the sound of the distant guns ceased, and the impacts stopped soon after. Beast Boy just hung there; still on the back of the massive machine that had burst from the ground... nothing happened. The air hung thick with dust now and it was deathly silent compared to the cacophony just seconds ago.

Slowly he dropped off the machine and shifted back to his elfin form. The tall robot stood motionless; it's back still facing him. Nervously Beast Boy reached out a finger and gingerly poked the imposing figure. With a loud groan of metal on metal the robot suddenly shifted, wobbled slightly; then finally fell forward, crashing to the ground face down. The emerald Titan held his ground a few moments longer, still wary of a trap.

Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders

"That was _easy_!" he chirped happily.

With that he dug his hands into his pockets and continued on his way.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Umm, I think we're gonna be in trouble about this Billy," stated Billy nervously.

" _We_? Whattya mean ‘ _We’_? _You_ were the one that shot first!" yelled Billy desperately.

"You moron, _I am you_ , and you're me! It don't _matter_ which one of us shot first!" Billy yelled back.

Billy raised a hand to his chin in consideration over that. "Hmm, I reckon you're right about that. D'ya think that Instigator there is gonna be a tad bit upset with us when he goes and wakes up?" Billy asked Billy.

Billy nodded regretfully at that. "And how Billy, and _how_."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire howled as she hurled Bolts furiously. The deadly plasma projectiles tore through the air, following the path of the rapidly disappearing and reappearing villain. The dark clad boy was moving quickly around her, vanishing a fraction of a second before the Star Bolts would hit him, then appearing several feet to the side just in time for another plasma attack to be flying his way.

The boy vanished again but did not appear where she had anticipated he would. In a flash of insight, she ducked her head and kicked out backwards with all her might. She felt the passage of a fast-moving limb fly over her head, a stinging tug as it caught the very end of her long hair.

She also felt the solid impact of her boot hitting something behind her. It was rapidly followed by the sound of something soft impacting with something hard and unyielding a dozen or so feet away. The Tamaranean turned to see the black clad boy implanted several inches into a brick wall, holding his chest with a pained look on his face.

"I suggest that you _remain_ there for the remainder of this battle, lest you become _truly_ injured," she warned the badly winded villain.

Her vague threat was cut off as a blue orb shot up at her from the ground. She charged her hand with emerald power and casually backhanded the sphere, letting her internal energy knock the attack away with contemptuous ease. She then swung her hand back and launched the Star Bolt at the white clad boy below her on the street.

The boy toggled something on the side of his helmet; then was enveloped in a green eye shaped shield of energy. Her Star Bolt bounced harmlessly off the shield. The boy then dropped his shield and laughed at her mockingly, firing off several more orbs of varying colors.

Starfire took a second to check on the other villain, only to see the dark clad boy was gone. She did not see him anywhere; perhaps he had taken her advice? Hoping that was the case, she returned her attention to the boy below her. It was rather easy to avoid the large slow-moving orbs that the youth launched at her.

She launched a powerful optic blast at the strange boy, curious at just how powerful his force field was. As expected, the cycloptic boy raised his shield again, her powerful attack running over the surface. The beams did not pierce the shield, but they were powerful enough to push the boy against the wall of the building he was standing in front of.

That gave the Tamaranean an idea.

"Your shield, it is powerful enough to protect you from any attack; that is correct?" she asked as she flew past the boy, gracefully avoiding his attacks.

"You _bet_ it is! Nothing can get through _my_ shield, so you might as well give up now, girlie!" shouted the dark-skinned boy.

Starfire smiled and nodded happily. "Thank you, that is what I wished to know."

With that she flew up past the top of the building that the optic villain stood before. She floated over the roof and gauged the building carefully. Then unleashed her deadly optic blast straight down, quickly she moved from one side of the building to the other, keeping a steady stream of emerald plasma going straight down the entire time.

The criminal below her could only stare in confusion as green light suddenly shot from every window in the building, moving from one side of the building to the other. He could only watch as Starfire flew back to the center of the building front and gave a delicate kick to the top of the brickwork.

He seemed to get the idea quickly, though, when, with a loud groan, the entire face of the building began to collapse on top of him, cleanly severed from the rest of the structure by her optic lasers.

With a thunderous roar the masonry rained down on the villain. Soon all that was left was a massive pile of rubble and glass and wood. The Tamaranean took a moment to look at her handy work before she continued to her destination.

"Do not worry, Robin, we _will_ save you," she whispered quietly to herself.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven's unplanned trip to the ground ended with a loud thud. _Hmm_ , that wasn't _nearly_ as hard as she thought it would be... and a heck of a lot sooner as well. She was sure she’d had a few stories left to regain control. She looked down to find herself lying on a dark navy-blue surface, very strangely shaped.

Suddenly the ground below her shifted wildly and wrapped around her. That wasn't the ground! She was being held in a _massive hand_! The dark Titan soon found herself being held face to massive face with a green-faced creature. It had smooth features, a small mouth, relatively speaking anyway, blood red eyes and a pair of pointy antennae.

She had just been _abducted by an alien_! The alien boy holding her was massive, easily fifty feet tall. He was wearing a dark blue suit that matched his elbow length gloves. The only thing that stuck out, other than being a not so little green man, was a large arrow pointing up on the gargantuan boy's chest.

Raven was in no mood for _any_ close encounters of the third kind this night. "ET, I suggest you phone for a cab and get out of here, before I get _upset_ ," she uttered menacingly to the giant holding her.

The large alien looked at her strangely, a small frown forming on his face.

A loud buzzing sound heralded the arrival of her airborne friend. The bee striped girl landed on the giant boy's shoulder. "Yo, XL, didn't you say you had a _crush_ on Raven, here? Why don't you show her how you _feel_?" suggested the widely smiling villainess.

The corner of the monolithic alien's mouth quirked up into a small smirk at that.

Raven felt an uncomfortable sensation as the large hand that surrounded her began to squeeze. She glared at the offending alien, starting to get irritated. "I've already got a main squeeze, thank you. Now I'm afraid I'm going to _break_ your _heart_ ," she growled loudly.

She felt her eyes burn with gray light as she gathered her power inside her.

_"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!"_

The hand that was holding her flew open and both of her opponents were flung back as she unfurled her aura. It expanded in the form of a massive ebon raven, easily matching the size of the green creature before her, and making the tiny, winged villainess seem like the insignificant insect she emulated.

"You Hive kids shouldn't have made me _angry_ , you're not going to like me when I'm angry," she muttered dryly.

It turned out that being a fifty-foot-tall Martian makes it _exceedingly_ difficult to evade an irate half-demoness.

And now you know.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg smiled widely as he cruised down the road. The window was rolled down and he had his arm on the door, leaning comfortably. The car he had jacked was sweet, it handled great and even better; it had an _awesome stereo_! He had said radio cranked up and was belting out the tunes as he flew down the road.

He looked at the clock, just in time to see the number change. A little over ten minutes to go, he knew he was well over halfway there though. Whoever that Hive guy had been, he sure hadn't slowed him down.

Heh, if the guy hadn't been standing in the center of the road like a moron and had a big H on his shield, Cyborg probably would have drove right by him without noticing. As it was, he was gonna have to buff out a few dents before he returned this baby.

Suddenly a panel on his arm started flashing and beeping incessantly. Hmm, what could that be? He flicked a switch on his arm to see what the alarm was... oh, just his proximity alarm. _Huh_ , but _that_ only went off when something was locked on... to...

 _Oh dear_!

He looked up just in time to see the vapor trails of the two missiles coming his way. With a sigh of regret, he kicked in his boot jets again and flew through the roof of the car just as the missiles crashed into the vehicle and blew it to scrap.

Cyborg landed several feet away, unharmed but not happy. Robin wasn't gonna be happy about this one, that was for sure. Hotwiring a car and then getting it blown to pieces? Not exactly in your superhero handbook.

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ crud muncher! I thought that pile of scrap was your _grandma_ for a second!" yelled Gizmo's high pitched and offensive voice.

"Oh No Man! You did _not_ just bad mouth Granny!" he yelled, spinning to face the diminutive genius. Gizmo hung in the air a few dozen feet down the road, hanging from his massive spider legs. A pair of missile launchers were sticking from his backpack, still smoking in an incriminating fashion.

"And what if I _did,_ Tin man? I _am_ sorry, though, that car looked _way_ nicer than the pile of garbage that you usually putt around in," crowed the tiny villain.

"Oh, it's _on_ now, little man!" roared Cyborg. First the little creep insults his granny, then bad mouths his baby? The little brat was gonna rue the day, today! With a loud clacking sound his arm converted to his trusty sonic cannon.

"At this moment, Gizmo, I have only two things, one is time, and the other is an _incredible_ need to kick butt. Unfortunately for you I'm practically out of time," he told the miniature scientist malevolently.

His sonic cannon roared to life, blazing blue waves of pure sound blasting out at the green clad kid across the street from him. Gizmo began dodging and weaving as quickly as his gangly spider legs could carry him, charging in Cyborg's direction.

A small cannon extended from Gizmo's tiny pack as they charged each other, and the villain started to return fire. Soon the air was lit up with red and blue energy blasting back and forth. Both combatants dodging and firing as fast as they could.

"I'm gonna take you apart _one bolt at a time,_ you pit sniffing Titan!" yelled his vertically challenged enemy.

"You wish, Tiny Tim! I beat you in the Tournament, I can beat you again!"

Cyborg dodged another set of laser blasts then opened his shoulder covers. His own missile launchers extended and fired a pair of explosive projectiles each. The tiny missiles flew at the tiny genius and the large Titan followed them running, already firing away with his cannon forcing the little guy to dodge some more.

Gizmo let out a little shriek as the missiles closed in; he was off balance from avoiding the blasts from the cannon and didn't have time to get out of the way now. In a last-ditch effort, the tiny scientist whipped his spider legs before him and let the missiles impact into them.

The spindly limbs were blown to scrap and Gizmo started to drop to the ground. Before Cyborg could close in and punt him, though, the criminal deployed his jet pack and flew back out of range. Once again, the tiny laser cannons on the villain's backpack sprung to life.

The cybernetic teen was getting tired of this; he didn't have _time_ to waste duking it out with some deranged midget. A simple leap took him to a parked vehicle. With a heave he swung the pickup into the air and then tossed it at the tiny criminal. Gizmo yelped again before flying over the airborne vehicle.

"How about a taste of some _high voltage,_ Mr. Wind-Up!" yelled Gizmo. He then suited word to action, flying at Cyborg and firing a small grapnel line from his suit. The tiny metal grapnel struck the cybernetic teen in the chest and the line came alive as several thousand volts traveled down its length.

Cyborg grit his teeth and held in his scream of pain as the voltage started frying his systems. Slowly he raised his arm.

"Tastes _fine_ to me! Why don't _you_ try it?" He launched his hand at Gizmo, it wrapped tightly around the shocked boy's neck. Suddenly, it was Gizmo's turn to flop like a fish as the current suddenly flew back up the length of Cyborg's cable and back into the small villain.

A few seconds later Gizmo's pack short circuited explosively and dropped the tiny boy to the ground in a smoking heap. With a small tug, Cyborg pulled the tiny grapnel from his chest and dropped it to the ground. He then retracted his hand once more.

"Looks like you got a _weak stomach_ , buddy," he muttered quietly.

And he continued his trek to his destination.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel was _beyond_ frustrated. First off was the fact that her ‘Teammate’ had just been neutralized by their _own weapons_. She had told Billy that if she so much as saw a _match_ light up the street after that, she was going to _chemically neuter him_. And then, of course, there was her more immediate annoyance.

"Geez, do you do _anything_ besides fly and look good?" queried the emerald changeling, currently hanging from a nearby lamp post.

The winged villainess felt her face heat up at the comment, not to mention the way the green skinned boy wriggled his eyebrows so suggestively. There was _no way_ she was going to be embarrassed by the Titan's _jester_ like this! She surged forward again, her wings extending and expanding to colossal size.

Her wings then slammed together, crushing the lamppost flat. Not fast enough, though, the jade Titan swung up acrobatically and cleared the area before her wings could crush him as well. The nimble boy flipped a few times, whooping excitedly before morphing into a bird and swooping to her position. He then morphed back to his humanoid form and landed behind her.

" _Oooooh_ , you can make your _wings big_ , I'm _so_ scared! _Hahahaha_!" laughed the vexing little Titan annoyingly. He then started doing some silly little dance while she returned her wings to normal and spun to face him.

" _Shut up_! I'll show you what I can do!" she yelled in frustration. With that she launched a fist at the boy's head, only to have him dodge to the side.

"Oops, _almost_ got me there," replied the boy smarmily.

And that was how it went. Swing -"Not quite!"-Kick-"Almost!"-Chop-"So close!"-Knee-"Are you even _trying_ here?"-Head Butt!-"Whoa there, _not interested_!"-Elbow-"You're puttin me _to sleep,_ here!"

Not only was the boy heckling her incessantly, but he was avoiding her attacks with barely any effort at all. Every time she came close, he would change shapes; the animal's forms moving him out of the way of her attacks, only to have the boy shift back instantly to make some insulting comment on her fighting. Weasel, bird, marmoset, snake, iguana, hornet, he changed into animals that she didn't even know the names for as easily as she took to the skies herself.

She had gotten into the rhythm of attacking and dodging so intently that she didn't notice the serious expression appear on her opponent’s face. Suddenly, she found her fist captured in the palm of the Titan before her, he stood straight and proud before her, a look of mild anger on his face.

Angel tried to pull her fist back, but to no avail. The younger boy's grip was like a miniature vice around her fist and it wouldn't budge no matter what she did.

"Look, dude, I don't have _time_ to play with you. You don't seem so bad, and I don't really want to hurt you. So, I'm giving you _one_ chance. Get out of here, _now_ , or I'll show you what I _really learned_ on my vacation to China," growled the suddenly intimidating looking Titan.

When had _that_ happened? Almost instantly, the boy's joking facade had fallen away, revealing an iron-willed demeanor just beneath the surface. She still struggled to pull her fist from his hand, but nothing was happening, his arm wasn't even moving from her struggles. She could see the beginnings of ropey muscles bulging through the tight material that covered his arms.

What to do? She didn't think just giving up would look too good on her. She was about to lash out with a devastating kick... when she caught his gaze. Something in his eyes stopped her in her tracks. His stare was more intense than any she could remember, and something danced dangerously at the back of his eyes, something that seemed to be _asking_ her to do just what she was thinking.

Suddenly unnerved, she stumbled back away from the strange boy. Seemingly aware of her intent, he let her free immediately, smiling grimly.

"That's what I _thought_ ," muttered the Titan.

Angel clutched her hand tightly to her chest and watched the green teen stalk past her. Slowly she sunk to her knees. T-that wasn't how it was supposed to happen... She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to rub the sudden chill from her skin... but the night was so _warm_...

Without even looking back, the Titan walked past her and continued his trek to his destination.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven raised her hand before her. The large talon of ebon energy mimicked it perfectly, rising into the air before her. Trapped in the grip of the telekinetic construct was the black and yellow clad girl, struggling to be free. Raven thought it was a fitting juxtaposition, going from being held like that to becoming the one doing the holding.

Admittedly the girl had been good, fast, and strong, and those stingers had been annoying as well, but overall, aside from the shrinking, she was a less powerful version of Starfire as far as Raven was concerned. And considering how much training she had with and against her Tamaranean friend, it had only been a matter of time before the girl fell before her.

Again, she mentally thanked Cologne; her training had proved invaluable again. Her opponent's ability to shrink had posed a serious problem. Not so much that it made her harder to hit, but that Raven had to suddenly be so much more careful not to accidentally _kill_ the fool girl. Luckily, the elder's training and honing of Raven's own focus and control allowed her to capture the tiny villainess without crushing her like... well, like a bug.

Sometimes metaphors just weren't that necessary.

"I'd make you the same offer I made your friend, to leave and not come back, but I suspect you're _even more_ stubborn than he was," she muttered caustically, motioning to the unconscious form of the massive alien currently buried under the entire furniture section of the unfortunate outlet mall.

She didn't give the dark-skinned girl a chance to respond, however. "And since I can't stand it when people _bug_ me, I'll have to take the direct approach." She ignored the confused look on the girl’s face at her words.

With that the spiritual Titan launched her Soul Self from her body, the black image of herself flew through the small space between the two girls before it entered the other girl’s forehead and penetrated her mind.

A second later the girl was unconscious, and Raven's Soul Self returned to her body. With a satisfied smirk, she laid the sleeping beauty on her beastly friend. "Sleep tight you two, don't let the bunk beds bite," she whispered cockily.

Satisfied with her handy work, Raven continued her trek to her destination.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire floated into the intersection that housed the device for which she searched. It stood silently in the center of the streets, a small timer on the side showing she had only a few minutes to spare.

For some reason, she was not at all surprised by the figure which stood before the device, arms crossed defiantly across his chest. The boy's headband blew gently in the breeze and his fangs stood out keenly from his serious face.

She quickly looked around, yes, they were alone.

"I give you greetings again, friend Ryouga. You seem to be fully recovered from our last interaction," she started out in a friendly tone.

The fanged boy nodded curtly. "You look better, too, that's good. I saw the video of the fight, I-I was worried that you might have been seriously hurt," he replied, looking away slightly.

That caught her by surprise. "Your concern is touching, Ryouga, but for what reason has your disposition changed so since our last meeting?"

Ryouga shook his head mildly. "I don't know _who_ you were fighting in that video, but it wasn't _me_. I'm not sure _what_ happened to me, but it won't happen again," apologized the guilt-ridden martial artist.

This confused the Tamaranean even more. Apparently Ryouga was just as confused at his own actions as she had been at the time.

"Then... you do _not_ wish to battle with me? How do you plan to capture me, then?" she asked in mild confusion.

He shrugged. "I just need to stop you from hitting that button before midnight, it shouldn't be _that_ hard. Besides, now that I'm in control of myself again, I know I can beat you without seriously hurting you," boasted the talented warrior.

With that he cracked his knuckles and settled into his familiar fighting stance.

Starfire sighed, resigned. As fortuitous as it was that her friend was acting closer to his normal self once more, she was quite certain that his claim was much closer to truth than she would have liked.

Still, this was for Robin.

With one last sigh, the Tamaranean warrior settled into her own stance and prepared.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg glared at the Hive student that stood between him and the buzzer at the center of the intersection. The massive youth had his arms crossed over his chest and was smiling wickedly.

 _Heh_ , their last-ditch effort to capture him was _Mammoth_? This was gonna be over before the next minute passed on the timer. With a nasty smile of his own, Cyborg configured his Sonic Cannon.

"Oh, you are gonna _regret_ the day you decided to get in _my_ way, big man!" he yelled angrily.

Mammoths only response was to unfold his bulging arms and wave Cyborg in with his fingers.

"You just _bring_ it, Titan!" he stated back calmly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"-magnanimous soul that I am, I shall grant you a swift and honorable defeat. Though thou art not even worthy of my noble blade, it is my odious duty to entreat you to our dungeon where you shall join your villainous companion–" orated the mysterious swordsman.

Beast Boy felt his eyelids start to droop; the guy had been going on for a full forty-seven seconds now and didn't seem to be slowing down. The guy sure looked dramatic, waving around his sword, and dressed in one of those samurai dresses that Beast Boy had seen in a few of his old kung fu movies. But, _man_ , he guy just went _on_ and _on_!

"- know that the _vengeance of heaven_ is slow but sure! On this day, your end is assured, for now you face the powerful and skilled Kunou Tatewaki, _Rising Star_ of the Hive Academy!" declared the young man powerfully. In the background a bolt of lightning crashed to the ground, lighting the boy dramatically.

Hmm, that was cool.

…Wait a _sec_!

"Wait a sec! _You're_ Kunou! _Ha_ , dude! Ryouga told us all about _you_! _Oh man_ , he told us about what a _hopeless loser_ you are! Man is this gonna be _easy_!" he cried in relief. Man, he'd been _worried_ there for a second.

Strong words coming from a boy with a strangely spherical green head.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki chuckled quietly to herself. She had already taken the bets on all the fights so far, and frankly she was making a killing. Everyone was in place, and soon enough her package would be in place, too. Just a few more days and everything would be ready.

"Everything is going just as planned," she whispered to herself happily.

"Isn't it though? I'm overly impressed with how things have gone so far, aside from a few... _disappointments_ ," came a grim voice from behind her.

Shocked, she spun quickly to find the Headmaster standing calmly behind her, viewing the screens impassively.

"I did notice a small _gap_ in your net, though, and thought I'd add a _revision_ of my own to your plan," he stated mysteriously.

She quirked an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean, Headmaster?"

"You didn't have any student's available or capable of capturing the young Raven, so I thought I would provide a last-minute addition to your team. I have been _most_ eager to see what this boy is capable of," he explained for her, smiling evilly.

 _What_? Adding a new teammate? Nabiki started to feel panic well up in her. Everything had been going perfectly; would this unknown variable mess up her plans?

She spun to look at the view screens over the last device.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven floated towards the device at the center of the clearing. It appeared to be completely unguarded. Even further, she couldn't sense anyone around her for quite some distance. Apparently, the Hive students didn't think they could catch her like that anymore and were relying on catching her fellow Titans.

Still, something seemed suspicious. She had quite a few minutes left to hit the buzzer, according to the timer. Why wasn't there anything at all standing in her way?

With a minor shrug, she continued her advance. Might as well get it over with –

Her forward progress was instantly halted; a trio of wicked looking knives burying themselves into the pavement before her. Quickly she leapt back and scanned her surroundings. She _still_ wasn't sensing any presence around her.

Suddenly a figure dropped from a nearby building, almost appearing to glide down the five-story drop with the greatest of ease.

The figure landed gracefully on the edge of the device she was supposed to deactivate, and then stood to its full height. The man, she was sure of that, despite the long black hair that cascaded around his shoulders, looked at her impassively.

 _‘Looked’_ being subjective, since the young man wore a black blindfold across his eyes. Yet she still had the distinct feeling of being _watched_. The stranger was wearing a fine set of silken robes, also black as midnight, except for a set of intricate designs on his chest done in blood red. The boy's large sleeves were held together in front of him, his hands hidden deep within.

Before she could catch herself, she gasped, "Who are you?"

There was something different about this man, different from the other students she had faced. This one seemed to radiate a sort of deadly calm. It almost reminded her of Ryouga, who also radiated a strong aura of power and confidence, but the Lost Boy's aura was unbridled and passionate.

"My name is Mousse, and you shall go no further," stated the stranger ominously.

This man, this man felt like _death_.


	15. The Pitch: Part 2

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half

Enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma looked at the small group that sat around the table. Once again his family and fiancées were gathered in the dining room of the Tendo household. Present were Akane, and his father. Cologne and her great granddaughter Shampoo were accounted for. Sitting further down the table, Ukyou and Konatsu sat across from each other. And finally, sitting at the far end of the table was Kodachi.

He had called them all together to discuss what the Library Squad had discovered. Informing everyone that Ryouga, and the rest of their friends and family, had been co-opted by an evil international criminal organization... well it had been a bit of a shock.

Cologne nodded sagely. "That explains why I had never heard of these people before; such a recently formed group of upstart criminals is hardly something that would concern the Amazon village," she explained calmly. Shampoo nodded proudly in agreement with her elder's statement, crossing her arms across her chest.

Kodachi quailed dramatically. "Oh, to think that my dear brother would descend to a life of crime and bring shame to the Kunou family name!" She waved her arm dramatically through the air and brought the back of her hand to her forehead.

Ranma could only roll his eyes. He noticed Akane lean towards him. "Yeah, _this_ is going to be the thing that gives the Kunou's a bad name, sheesh." she whispered sarcastically to him. He could only nod slightly while trying to hold in his laughter.

Everyone else seemed to silently agree with their dismissal of Kodachi's complaints. Ukyou lifted a finger to her chin in contemplation.

"I still can't figure out why Ryouga would join a group like that. I mean sure, he's a violent jackass, but then most every guy in Nerima _is_ ," she stated, until she noticed the young ninja across from her deflate at the comment.

"Except you, Konatsu," she added consolingly. The young ninja boy, who just happened to be dressed as a girl, perked up noticeably at Ukyou's kind words.

"I am forced to agree with the young chef. When last I saw the boy, not only was he more emotionally stable than I had seen him for... possibly as long as I have known him, he was also in the company of self-proclaimed superheroes. If anything, I foresaw him joining the ranks of good, this sudden reversal has me confused," admitted the ancient Amazon.

"Shampoo want know why Lost Boy take stupid _Mousse_. Mousse not good fighter like Airen, _or_ a criminal."

Surprisingly enough, Konatsu was the next to speak up. "It is possible that some external influence is at work. I can't speak for the rest of them, but there is no way that someone as kind as Miss Kasumi would join such an organization," theorized the young kunoichi.

Ranma nodded, it did make some sense. Who knew what was going through _Ryouga's_ head at any given time, but he couldn't really imagine Mousse or Kunou becoming criminals... _Idiots_ yes, but actual villains? It seemed unlikely. Nabiki on the other hand. He shuddered at the mere _thought_ of her becoming even more evil than before.

"It is a possibility, but all of this conjecture is getting us nowhere. Regardless of whether the missing children are in their right minds, we still need to find them and find out for certain what happened," stated Cologne, her eyes closed in thought.

Ranma slammed a fist into his palm. "That's right! Now that we gotta good idea where they might be, we gotta figure out how to get there!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"But Ranma, Jump City is on the other side of the _world_. How on earth are we going to _get_ there?" asked Akane, concern lacing her normally forceful voice.

Ranma had to agree, plane tickets were expensive, and it wasn't like they had Nabiki around to lend them the money. However, he wasn't overly worried. Slowly his eyes shifted to the ebon haired young woman that sat at the far end of the table. The young heiress of the Kunou fortune would have more than enough money to get them all to where they needed to be.

Now, he just had to figure out some way to ask the unstable girl to buy them all plane tickets without selling himself into bondage. That, and convincing the girl to get tickets for Akane, Shampoo or Ukyou seemed as likely as him learning to fly under his own power. He mentally bemoaned the fact that every girl he knew seemed to be involved with him in one way or another, which unfortunately led to the fact that they all hated each other pretty much completely.

A dilemma then. He slowly let his gaze travel over his estrogen laden companions. How does one get no less than four girls that would rather pluck each other’s eyes out than hold a civil conversation, to work together towards a common goal that only really concerned one of them? Ranma was sure that the only girl that was really concerned about the kidnappings was Akane over her sisters. He doubted that Kodachi really missed her brother all that much, and Shampoo was probably happy to have some time away from Mousse.

He only barely noticed as Mr. Tendo walked past all of them, coming from the front door and looking through a stack of mail. The steady flow of tears traveling down the older man's face had been a common sight for the past few weeks since Kasumi and Nabiki vanished.

How on earth was he going to get Kodachi to buy tickets for her three rivals? And how was he going to get a ticket himself without making some outlandish and probably morally questionable promises to the unstable gymnast?

Idly, Mr. Tendo dropped a letter in his lap. "This letter is for you, Ranma," moaned his possible father-in-law, his voice choked with tears. The mustached man then vanished into the kitchen... for some reason.

Without really thinking about it, Ranma started to open the letter. Maybe he could get Cologne to pay instead? She owned a successful restaurant, so it was possible she could afford the necessary tickets. It was a lot more likely that _she_ would only make him promise to a few dates with Shampoo, that seemed to be a much kinder fate then what he imagined Kodachi would demand.

Everyone seemed to be waiting on him for some reason, staring at him expectantly. Why did everyone always expect him to figure everything out? Sure, he was hands down the best fighter there... Cologne didn't count... but was that supposed to give him some kind of mystery solving powers?

Hmm, come to think of it, the envelope was kind of heavy, looked like a bunch of pamphlets in it, strange that. Oh well, guess he was getting to that age where he was starting to receive his very own junk mail, will wonders never cease? He idly flipped the pieces of paper around a few times while he considered his problem.

It was possible Ukyou could front the money... naw, she was struggling enough to run her restaurant and be a student with only one person’s help. That, and there wasn't really anyone missing that would justify her jeopardizing her entire life's work for just to buy them all some tickets.

Hmm, itchy nose. He used the corner of the pamphlets to scratch his nose a bit. Hmm, everyone was starting to look at him a bit strangely now. What was up with that?

Maybe Mr. Tendo had some money saved up for a rainy day? Sure, it seemed like a long shot, what with the supporting three daughters without a source of income and all, but then he had the most reason to send people to rescue Ryouga's unfortunate victims.

It was starting to get a little hot in here too. Absently he spread out the pamphlets and started to fan himself a bit. Man, he wished he knew why everyone was staring at him like that. Heck, you'd think they'd never seen him think about a problem before, what with their eyes looking like dinner plates the way they were staring so intently.

"What're you guys all staring at? I'm thinkin, alright? Sheesh, I need some air, I'm gonna go toss this junk and then we'll figure this out okay?" he asked, annoyed now at the way everyone was staring at him.

With that he got to his feet and got started to tear up the junk mail when –

Ranma woke up a few seconds later, shaking the stars from his vision. What the heck had _that_ been about? He sat up angrily to yell at the offender.

"What the _heck_ was _that_ about, ya violent Tomboy!"

He noticed that all seven of the people surrounding the table had their eyes glued to the junk mail he had just received. Akane turned to face him.

"Ranma, you _idiot_! These are _airline tickets_! Didn't you even look at them before you were going to tear them up!" she yelled incredulously. He noticed the rest of the table's occupants glaring at him as well, Ukyou rolling her eyes in disbelief.

He shot up and grabbed one of the small pamphlet looking things. He'd never seen a plane ticket before, he kinda expected that they'd look something like a bus ticket or something, not the big, folded pieces of stiff paper he held in his hand. Hmm, now that he read it, it did say something about an airline on it.

"Where the heck did _these_ come from? Since when do airplane tickets just _magically_ appear right when you need them?" he asked, not quite believing what he was seeing himself.

Cologne picked up another of the tickets. "This is _indeed_ interesting; they are for a flight later this night and the destination appears to be Jump City. Coincidences don't exist on _this_ scale. However, this does have the familiar tang of a trap about it."

Ukyou nodded. "Yeah, now I kinda feel like we _wasted_ all that time in the library. I mean, what was the _point_ of doing all that work to find out where they went, when they just send us a bunch of first class tickets to come and visit?" she complained in an exasperated voice.

"It's obviously a trap, whoever this Naomi Alicia Benton is, she won't deceive the Black Rose with such an obvious ruse," claimed the raven-haired gymnast. She then descended into another bout of nerve grating laughter.

Suddenly, Akane snagged one of the tickets herself. " _Who_ was that, Kodachi?" she asked excitedly.

Kodachi rolled her eyes. "Simple minded peasant! The name of the person that purchased the tickets is clearly printed on them," she explained, in a slightly more offensive than necessary way.

"Naomi Alicia Benton. is it?" asked Akane, sounding slightly sarcastic and with a wide grin on her face.

"What of it, Akane? So, we know the name of the person that wants to catch us," Ranma asked dismissively.

Ukyou suddenly shot up, a look of comprehension on her face. She slowly settled back, grinning wickedly herself. "She wasn't exactly subtle, was she Akane?" replied the smug sounding chef.

Akane shook her head, still grinning. "Well, the letter was addressed to _Ranma,_ after all, I guess she figured the only way for him to figure it out would be if she actually _did_ spell it out for him," she explained before both girl's burst into a fit of giggles.

"What is _up_ with you two? What are you going on about? _Who_ are you talking about?" he asked in frustration. He hated it when people got something before he did!

The youngest Tendo laid one of the tickets before him. "The person that really sent us the tickets, Ranma. Naomi Alicia Benton, or N, A, B." she explained, looking happier than she had in the past few weeks.

He thought about it for a second... n, a, b... n a b... nab... nabi... nabik... Wait a sec! Nabiki! " _Nabiki_!" he shouted happily!

The females sitting around the table all looked at him, eyes rolling like an eighteen-wheeler.

"Maybe next time she sends a secret message to Ranma, she should have _four_ middle names instead of just one," snickered Akane, the rest of the girls giggled nodding in agreement.

Ranma crossed his arms and sulked a bit. So, he hadn't caught on _right away_ , they didn't have to rub his nose in it. He was still the one that found out where they were going, what did it matter if Nabiki sent the tickets or not? He noticed everyone else start getting up and leaving.

"Hey! Where you guys goin?" he asked.

Akane grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. "Nabiki sent us seven tickets. That means that the seven of us need to find our passports and get packed before the flight tonight. Now let’s go, we've only got till eleven tonight to get ready," explained his live-in fiancée.

"Wait a sec, who’s goin where now?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki nearly gasped in shock at the scene on the view screen. What the heck was _Mousse_ doing there? She hadn't known that the Headmaster was done doing... _whatever_ it was that he had been doing with the nearly blind martial artist. This could ruin everything!

Raven was _supposed_ to escape! That was why she didn't have anyone at that end of the course! Sure, she had used the justification that none of the students were up to the challenge, and that this little race was just a step to isolate her from her team and make her vulnerable. But at the end of the night, she hadn't intended to capture the dark Titan.

It wasn't a total lie, either, she doubted that anyone in the academy _could_ beat the powerful psychic. Ryouga's and Kunou's fighting styles alone made it rather dubious that they could defeat her. Nabiki doubted even Ranma could take her down if she were going full out.

She cursed the Headmaster mentally. Of _all_ the martial artists of the entirety of Nerima, he just _had_ to pick the one whose style was so unorthodox that he probably could! Mousse wasn't the most powerful warrior in Nerima, by any stretch, but he was easily the most deadly and unpredictable. He also had the annoying tendency to try to outthink his opponents from time to time, not to mention a nasty streak a mile wide.

Frankly, Nabiki was a little worried for the violet haired Titan.

After all, her entire plan hinged on the girl.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My name is Mousse, and you shall go no further," stated the Hidden Weapons Master ominously.

Raven felt a strange tingle of apprehension travel down her spine at the sight of the darkly clad youth that towered above her. Despite wearing a blindfold, the young man still projected a sense of utter self assurance and superiority. She idly looked at the trio of blades that still jutted from the ground; somehow the blades had penetrated the asphalt as easily as if it were paper.

She was going to have to ask who the boy's tailor was, that black robe looked _really_ nice.

"That's fine by me, I'm already where I need to be," she muttered wryly. Just because he looked a little more competent than the rest of the people she ran into, didn't mean she was going to let herself be intimidated by him. _Hmm_ , hadn't Ryouga and Cologne mentioned a boy named Mousse while they were in the village?

A pained look crossed the young man’s face. "You know what I meant! You're not pushing this button!"

"And what exactly makes you think you can stop me?" she asked confidently. The dark Titan felt a smirk form on her lips.

An even more wicked smirk formed on the face of her blindfolded opponent. "Titan, just consider yourself fortunate that my orders are to _capture_. If it were up to me, you would already be dead," he replied, a dangerous lilt to his voice.

She narrowed her violet eyes dangerously at that comment. Raven was getting tired of people threatening to kill her tonight. They obviously weren't taking her feelings into consideration, and now sending a blind boy as their last-ditch effort to defeat her? Perhaps it was time to show this egotistical young man just what she was capable of.

Her eyes began to glow white with power as she focused her energy. Slowly a black aura formed around her and unfurled from her sides into a pair of massive ebon wings. She noticed the strange villain cock his head to the side, as if something just caught his attention.

"Mousse, my powers are beyond your comprehension. Now out of respect for our common friends I ask you to _leave_ , I have no desire to harm you," she demanded of the longhaired boy that perched on the device that was her ultimate goal.

Mousse turned to regard her once more, his smirk growing into a full-blown arrogant smile. "Fortunately, I do not suffer from such foolish notions as you do. And if you think your demonic tricks can overcome a master of Chinese Black magic... Then you think _wrong_ **!** " shouted the boy.

With a grand gesture the weapon master flung his arms to his sides –

 **-** only to have _dozens_ of bladed weapons shoot from his sleeves! The blades fanned out widely making it appear that the tall boy had sprouted a pair of steel feathered wings!

Where the _heck_ had he been keeping _those_? Raven stumbled back a few steps in shock as the moonlight played across the numerous blades, highlighting the razor edges keenly.

"Thankfully, the Headmaster was very vague in his commands, he simply asked for you to be brought in alive... but then, ‘ _alive_ ’ covers a very _broad_ range of conditions," enunciated the apparently blind fighter.

The black robed boy then leapt to the air above her, seemingly taking flight on wings of steel.

"Titan! _Prepare yourself_!"

Raven had only time to gasp as her vision was filled with a rain of steel, blades, and death.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tatewaki's eyes narrowed in righteous fury as he regarded the green skinned vagabond that laughed with such mocking abandon.

How _dare_ he? How dare this vile, pubescent _child_ utter such insults against both himself and the noble House of Kunou itself? And that he had heard all these slanderous lies from that vagrant _Hibiki_! He _knew_ that the wandering buffoon lacked honor!

Kunou's hand tightened around his faithful bokken until his knuckles were white as carved marble. Still the boy's laughter continued! Truly the boy must have taken leave of all his senses; what other grand delusion could lead such a neophyte to believe they could even hope to challenge one of such unsurpassed skill as himself?

Unable to cope with the scornful abuse, Tatewaki lashed out with his blade, landing a mighty blow to the emerald youth's ribcage. He was rewarded with the satisfying crack of bone.

" _Aghh_!" cried the bestial boy, stumbling away in pain and clutching his side.

"Prepare yourself, contemptible fiend!" challenged the master kendoist. He then raised his wooden blade before him, settling into the traditional stance of his style.

" _Oww_ , _dude_! What's _wrong_ with you? You totally hit me before you told me to get ready, man!" wailed the injured Titan, wincing in pain even as he argued. "Dude! I think you _broke_ my ribs!"

Kunou scoffed, such trifling matters. "Nay, my most unworthy opponent, I granted you the mercy of simply fracturing your ribs. A true warrior would have been prepared for such a straightforward attack," he explained to the simple-minded fool.

The emerald skinned backed away from him, his breathing labored and an expression of bestial fury spreading across his features. The young boy's frightening visage could not hope to affect one as pure in spirit as himself, however.

"Dude, I hope you enjoyed that cheap shot, cuz it's the _only one_ you're getting!"

With that the emerald boy charged him, shifting into the form of a great tiger mid-run.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg flipped in mid-air and managed to land on his feet. Heh, guess those torture sessions with Perfume paid off, after all.

Mammoth had caught him off guard, grabbing Cyborg's hand when he had attempted to punch the larger boy, then hurling him through the air like a titanium lawn dart.

The large, ginger-haired villain was slowly bouncing from foot to foot several meters away. Further yet behind the boy was the device that he had to reach before midnight. Cyborg had to give the big guy credit, considering his size, Mammoth was fast and agile, not to mention a little stronger than himself.

The Titanium Titan wasn't worried, though. While his villainous opponent might have the edge in straight up brawling and street fighting, Cyborg was in another league altogether when it came to unpredictability and durability.

He did a few quick calculations in his head then charged to meet the stampeding meta-human.

A scant few feet before the two would collide; the bulky Titan configured his sonic cannon. He waited till the absolute last second, just as Mammoth began to duck his head for a classic shoulder tackle, then fired his cannon directly into the ground below him!

The force of the blast flung him up into the air, and combined with his own charging momentum, sent him soaring over the lumbering youth below him. He landed gracelessly, his metallic boots skidding across the gravel, and then continued his run for the large red button.

" _Booyah_! I am on _fire_ tonight!" he cheered, his destination nearly within his grasp. He pumped his legs as fast as his servos would carry him, every footfall taking him one step closer to the pedestal at the center of the intersection. As he closed in on his target, he started to reach out his hand when –

He felt a shoulder crash into the small of his back, Mammoth's tackle carrying both of them well past the podium and its digital display.

Sparks flew everywhere as Cyborg's titanium chest scraped deafeningly across the pavement, their combined momentum carrying them a dozen feet before the slid to a stop. He then felt a heavy hand grasp his shoulder and flip him over, it looked like Mammoth had recovered fast and was ready to get going again.

"The only thing you're pushing up tonight is daisies, Titan!" growled the large criminal, his other fist already cocked back to unleash a devastating punch.

Cyborg groaned in disgust. "Dude, _seriously_ , do you even _listen_ to yourself when you spout that stuff?" He then kicked out with feet, catching Mammoth in the shins, and sending the massive teen flopping forward. Before the villain could land on him, Cyborg reached out and grabbed boy’s shirt and flipped him up and over onto his back.

A quick burst from his boot jets then flipped Cyborg over in the air and landed him on Mammoth's chest. Fast as he could, the metal plated teen reared back and launched a punch to his opponent's face –

\- only to have his fist bury itself nearly up to his elbow in the pavement as the orange haired boy slid his head to the side.

Mammoth's head butt took care of dislodging his arm, as well as sending him flying another dozen feet away from the device at the center of the clearing.

Slowly both boys regained their feet and gazed at each other, faces locked in grim expressions. Cyborg calmly rotated his arm then cracked his knuckles loudly.

"All right man, time for round two."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire held her defensive stance... but confusion was starting to fill her mind. It had been well over a minute since Ryouga had made his bold declaration that he would be able to defeat her without harming her. And yet the boy had not made a single move towards her. She was starting to wonder just what exactly was going on.

"Friend Ryouga, why is it that you do not attack me?" she queried her one-time friend, cocking her head to the side slightly.

The fanged martial artist smiled back, in what could almost be described as a friendly manner. "I'm the defender this time, remember Star. You have to get past me to hit that button, all I have to do is stop you."

The Tamaranean blinked several times at that statement. "So, you are waiting for me to initiate the battle this time?" she asked hesitantly. She was quickly answered with a nod from her strangely passive opponent.

Hmm, how strange, so very different from their last encounter. She would almost say that her friend was acting... playful, as he had on several rare occasions while they had trained in the Amazon village. Now the alien girl found herself even more reluctant to battle the bandanna clad martial artist.

Still, Robin's freedom, and his identity were both at stake. She raised her right hand and gathered the power of her righteous fury within it until a glowing Star Bolt took form. Apprehensively she reared her arm back, preparing to launch the powerful projectile at the boy that blocked her path.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Star," chirped martial artist, apparently amused with something. Once again, she cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"And why is that Ryouga, are we not to do the fighting now?"

In response, Ryouga raised a hand to his side and pointed to something behind him with his thumb. "I'm standing right in front of the thing you've gotta activate. If you use your Star Bolts at this range, you could miss and destroy it. I'm afraid you're going to have to get by me the old-fashioned way."

Quickly, Starfire extinguished the Star Bolt. She hadn't even thought of that! She had not noticed that Ryouga had carefully positioned himself so that he was directly between her and her quarry. One stray projectile, or a well-timed dodge, and she would destroy the device before she could activate it.

The alien girl let out a long sigh.

Apparently unhappy that Starfire seemed depressed, Ryouga spoke up. "Hey, how about I make it more sporting?" He then drew a line with his toe into the asphalt. "I won't cross this line to come after you, and I won't use any of my chi techniques since you can't use your attacks either," he offered generously.

Starfire narrowed her eyes. "I do not need your _pity,_ Hibiki; I will defeat you on my _own terms_!” She bellowed a war cry and soared to attack, leading with a devastating haymaker to his jaw.

Ryouga held his odd stance, arms pulled back so that his upturned fists rested at his sides and legs bent with feet over half again shoulder width apart. At least he did until she lashed out with her punch. Then the martial artist burst into motion.

Out shot his left hand in an open palm strike, it contacted her attacking wrist almost gently and pushed it aside, deflecting her attack. Then his right hand which had crossed in front of his left arm slid blindingly fast up the length of his blocking arm and wrapped around her wrist in a powerful hold.

Starfire turned her head desperately to keep an eye on him as the inertia of her attack, turned aside by his deflection began to turn her back to him. Next, she felt his left hand contact her elbow and then felt pain as the martial artist twisted her wrist with his right hand and pushed her elbow up with his left.

Suddenly she found herself with her arm painfully pinned behind her, her arm twisted so that her own hand nearly touched the base of her skull. A little more pressure and she soon found herself on her knees before him, tears of pain just barely restrained.

All in all, it had taken less than a second, and already the formidable Tamaranean found herself powerless before the fanged warrior. And it had been such a _simple_ maneuver as well; she was nearly as overwhelmed with shame as she was with pain.

She felt Ryouga's hot breath on her neck as he whispered quietly to her. "See? I told you I could defeat you without injuring you. I know, I know, this likely hurts like heck, but you're still perfectly fine.” She struggled to do something, but unfortunately, she was a captive audience. “Heh, I spent _all night_ struggling with how to capture you without hurting you, until I went back to the basics."

"I wasn't sure what to do, as far as strength and toughness go, we're pretty even; heck you might even have the edge. As far as power goes, my Lion Roar shot can't hope to beat your Star Bolts, not considering how _fast_ you can toss them of,." admitted the boy, though somewhat reluctantly. "And you're actually a pretty good fighter, I know this even though I don't actually _remember_ ever fighting you, even the fight I watched on tape, but I know it with every fiber of my being. So, there were only two ways I outclassed you, in speed and skill. Ironic eh? Took me nearly an _hour_ just to wrap my head around that concept."

The Lost Boy chuckled to himself before continuing his condescending lecture.

"So, how do you beat a stronger and tougher opponent without hurting them? The answer seemed obvious after that, joint manipulation! It's the foundation of martial arts, allowing a weaker fighter to defeat much stronger opponents. Heh, I never really use them, since I'm usually the stronger opponent, but I learned them, same as everyone else. Ha, who'd have thought that the basics that I learned from my first master would pay off here?" asked the supremely confident warrior.

Slowly, Starfire swallowed the pain from her shoulder and elbow, absorbed it and overcame it. She took a deep breath, cleansing her mind. Then agonizingly she turned her head to face her captor.

"I, too, learned the basics of combat under the Warlords of Okarra!" she yelled back in defiance.

Suddenly her captured hand exploded with emerald plasma, blasting away the martial artist that had been holding her so closely.

She spun quickly and saw Ryouga already flipping up to his feet, his familiar yellow sweater slightly singed but relatively intact. She gingerly rubbed her recently freed limb as she surveyed her opponent, not quite between her and the device she sought.

The fanged warrior calmly dusted off his shirt before settling into a combat stance.

"Yes, that's _great_. I was worried that this might not be interesting at all."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mousse listened as his hail of blades tore harmlessly into the ground below him. His quarry had somehow sunk into the ground in a pool of darkness, avoiding his attack. He could still sense her demonic aura, could track it as it traveled underneath the earth. It moved quickly and directly until...

There!

The blindfolded master ricocheted off a nearby lamppost and dived at the area where he felt the dark Titan rising from the ground. Halfway to his target he nimbly flipped so that he was flying feet first, metal talons springing from his slippers.

" _Hiiyyyaaa_!"

Raven spun quickly to face him, hearing his battle cry. He could feel the shock travel through her aura, desperately she swept an arm in front of her, and he could sense it leaving a trail of demonic energy in its path. His feet collided with the narrow band of dark power and the stark impact stopped him dead in his tracks. The blades that were attached to his feet snapped off loudly and clattered to the ground.

What _power_! Even surprised, the girl could erect a small yet impenetrable barrier like that? He had only yelled out his warning in the sense of fair play, and not really wanting to shred her flesh while she wasn't even facing him.

With a minor push, he launched himself from his precarious perch and landed several feet away. Yes, this girl had not been boasting, her power was incredible. Yet he could still feel the subtle sense of shock the girl was feeling. His attacks had taken her by surprise, thrown her off balance. He had to take advantage of that, use intimidation to keep her frightened. If not... he had little real chance here.

He pasted a wicked smirk on his face; he wasn't going to be scaring anyone if he was cringing at the mere presence of her demonic power. At that he stretched both arms out until they were horizontal with his shoulders.

From each wrist a massive metal blade shot out straight towards the ground, slightly tearing the material of his sleeves. The blades were easily three feet long and curved in towards him. He had always loved this trick; it made his arms appear like a deadly pair of scythes!

Before the girl could do anything asides from cringe at the deadly weapons he had produced, or at least boggle at where he could have possibly been hiding a pair of three-foot blades under his robes, he charged in.

He was on top of her in a second, blades flashing in an intricate dance doing his utmost to incapacitate the dark girl before him. The blinded master wished he could see the girls face; he was almost certain that her eyes were likely the size of saucers now. He could just have to satisfy himself the anxiety that poured from her aura.

Her hands also flew in an intricate dance, only having time to create small streaks of ebon power to block his blades. Each collision sent sparks flying and pushed the girl back another step. So, intent on defending herself from his blades, she didn't notice when he snaked a leg behind her ankle and pulled it back viciously, sending the darkly powered girl crashing to the ground.

She cried in shock as she collapsed painfully to the ground.

His arms flashed up and he drove both blades into the ground aiming for her legs, only to have them slash deep gashes in the pavement as the girl once again sunk into the ground. _Hmm_ , that trick was getting annoying! It didn't take too long to figure where she was coming up, though.

Just as she rose from the earth, he swung his arms fiercely; the massive blades flew from his arms becoming whirling discs of death as they spun through the air to converge on the Titans new position.

The girl was not totally unprepared for the tact this time, the street before her was instantly encased in her power and tore itself from the ground. His blades dug deeply into the asphalt but did not penetrate it. He was then forced to take to the air himself as the section of street flew in his direction.

The terrible roar of the roadway turning to rubble assaulted his delicate hearing even as he flew. That wasn't good; the girl was starting to recover her senses. Something off to the side of the girl gave him an idea.

Even as he started to descend from his gravity defying leap, he shot out his right arm, numerous bladed chains shooting from the depths of his sleeves. The girl raised both hands before her, a wave of dark energy raising up from the ground before her.

While she was distracted, he fired a single heavily weighted chain from his left sleeve in a wide arc to the girl's side. Just as he planned, halfway through the swing the midpoint of the chain collided with the lamp post.

Instantly the gentle arc of the swinging mace angled sharply and sent the blunted weapon careening into the girls unprotected back.

" _Unnhh_!" his opponent crashed heavily to the ground, her unprotected chest scraping painfully into the jagged rubble that she herself had created. Mousse was a little disappointed that he didn't hear the tell-tale sound breaking bone though.

As soon as he landed from his jump, he pulled a wickedly sharp naginata from his robes and charged the fallen girl, the blade of this weapon gleaming in the pale moonlight.

" _Die, Titan_!" He slashed his deadly weapon down at the girls exposed back, only succeeding in removing her cloak from her body as she desperately rolled to the side. A quick burst of her power flew her erratically out of his range, now clad only in her skin-tight outfit.

He chased after her, not letting up for a second. His bladed staff twirled like a fan as he repeatedly slashed at the rapidly retreating girl. The blind master could feel her fear now, almost palpable as he kept up his attack. A single-handed sweep of his blade caused her to fly back and crash through a large store display, glass showering down like a cutting rain. From his other sleeve he launched a fan of throwing knives; they flew with silent and deadly intent cutting through the glass shower with ease.

His opponent waved her hand again, a barrier of dark energy sweeping before her and deflecting most of the glass and several of the knives.

She let out a gasp of pain as one of the knives grazed her leg just above the knee.

Once again Mousse attacked with his Naginata. A lightning fast thrust aimed at her heart. As he predicted, she created another streak of dark force, three feet long and only a foot wide to protect her vital organs.

This time his empty hand shot out quickly, a barrage of chains shooting out. Most bounced off the shield, the direct hits, but the ones that missed the shield wrapped around the black plane of force. Before she could dissipate the shield, he pulled with all his might, and strangely enough the girl was pulled along with her ebon shield and launched back into the street by his maneuver.

Raven landed heavily, bounced several times then finally skidded to a stop several meters away. The unfortunate girl was bruised and bloody, no to mention missing a large part of her wardrobe in the form of her cloak. Slowly she crawled to her hands and knees, a thin trail of blood dripping from her lips as she stared intently at the ground below her.

The Hidden Weapons Master smiled to himself. It was time to end this; there was no way the girl could recover now.

With a graceful twirl he returned his staff back up his sleeve. Then his right sleeve shot out.

A massive four-foot metal sphere exploded from his sleeve! It flew at the girl like a wrecking ball, not too far off really, its passage tearing the air.

Suddenly the girl looked up from the ground to face him! Her _eyes_ , even through his blindfold, he could almost _see_ the four crimson slits of misanthropic energy that stared out from her face. He felt himself take a step back before he even thought of it. It was as if the girl's entire persona had shifted before his very eyes.

The huge metal ball stopped dead in the air only halfway to the girl, suddenly cocooned in her dark energy. The girl slowly floated from the ground and stood to her full height once more. She then seemed to take a minute to regard the weapon he had just thrown.

"Now there is _no_ way you could have hidden _that_ up your sleeves!" she muttered in disbelief.

Next, Mousse sensed the dark power travel up the chain still attached to the sphere and take a hold of him, entrapping him within her deadly magics. Idly the girl waved a hand, sending the titanic weapon flying to the side like so much sand. She then motioned again, and Mousse found himself floating forward, unable to move at all, until he was floating right before the girl.

The Hidden Weapon Master was assaulted by her demonic aura, floating so close to her. The girl's eyes were the worst part, almost like tiny portals to some other unspeakable dimension. Her breath was hot and ragged as it crawled across his skin.

"You are a very troublesome boy. Now, before I _destroy you_ , what exactly made you think that a blind fool like yourself could hope to defeat me?" she asked, her voice no longer dry and witty, now it was distorted and inhuman.

"I'm not actually blind, you know!" he retorted angrily, attempting to keep up his front, lest it crumble to dust in the face of the demon that held him so casually in it's power.

" _Not blind_? Then why do you insult me by wearing a blindfold when you attack me?" she growled, obviously insulted at the idea that he wasn't taking her seriously. How strange, she wasn't acting at all like she had been when she first had spoken to him. Almost like another person entirely now.

Still, the blindfolded Master couldn't keep the smile from spreading to his lips. "So I could do **_this_**!"

He swung his head hard, his long raven hair sweeping before him and brushing into the enraged girl’s face. The contact caused the tiny packets of powder he had hidden in his hair to burst open. That was the _real_ reason he was wearing the blindfold, he had absolutely _no_ desire to get the content of those tiny parcels into _his_ eyes.

Mousse dropped to the ground lightly, the power holding him aloft dissipating instantly.

" _Aaaahhhh_!" cried the dark girl before him, clawing at her face as the dust settled into her eyes. Already tears were flowing from her tormented eyes as the chemical started its cruel work.

A dirty trick but... this fight was over.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beast Boy slashed at the swordsman with the massive claws of his bear form. Only to lose most of the force of his strike as he felt his ribs grind together painfully. The kendoist caught his claws easily on his wooden blade and deflected them away with ease. He then countered with a blindingly fast slash of his sword.

The emerald changeling barely had time to shift to a rabbit and drop below the range of the sword. He then leapt forward, shifting to a bull in mid leap only a few feet from his opponent. He thundered forward and crashed into the cheap swordsman, Kunou only had time to bring his sword before him and use it to block the horns that would have impaled him. After that, Kunou was sliding backwards, kicking up rubble and debris as he went, the push of the enormous bull an irresistible force.

Beast Boy still couldn't believe what a _cheap bastard_ this guy was! Every time he moved, his side burst into agony and every time he changed shape, he felt like he was going to pass out! And this guy was going on about what an honorable warrior he was!

The emerald bull almost had the loud-mouthed warrior against a nearby wall when his opponent kicked off the ground and flipped over his charging form. Almost as an insulting afterthought, the jerk landed a stinging blow with his sword on Beast Boy's rear end.

He skidded to a stop and shifted back to his elfin form, fighting away the black spots that swam across his vision.

"Dude! You're _goin down_ ," he growled.

The swordsman didn't even bother to respond; he just ran a hand through his lightly tousled hair and laughed mockingly at the very idea.

This time Beast Boy shifted into a colossal elephant and swung his mighty trunk at the braggart.

Only to pull it back quickly, receiving a painful slap to his sensitive trunk for his trouble. Still, he didn't want to change again so soon, the black spots were still dancing from the last change. He charged forward again, leading with his lengthy tusks. His mammoth head swung from side to side, trying to catch his nimble opponent with the pointed ivory tusks.

Rather than flee, his crazed opponent started to parry his attacks, blocking tusk with sword, ivory with wood. They fought like that for several of the most bazaar moments of the changeling's existence. An epic duel of man versus elephant; in a sword fight that would cause most passers by to question their sanity.

Inexorably, Kunou gave ground, his skill unable to overcome the pure bestial power of the emerald elephant. Beast Boy reared up on his hind legs, preparing to smash the fool boy to pieces.

Except that Kunou grabbed his tusk as he rose from the ground. The Japanese martial artist then used the force of Beast Boy's rise to flip over and land on his back. Beast Boy slammed back to the ground and shook his head violently, trying to shake the swordsman loose.

Suddenly he felt another sharp impact with his already abused ribs. Kunou had hit him in the same spot _again_!

The world swam with a rainbow of colors against a universe of black. Ponderously he felt himself tip and then collapse to the ground with a thunderous crash. Against his will, he reverted to his humanoid shape and painfully rose to his hands and knees. He couldn't concentrate, and he was having trouble breathing, his breath escaping in ragged and disturbingly liquid sounding gasps.

After a few moments of agonized breathing he noticed something in front of him, slightly under him and directly before his nose. It was the tip of his opponent's blade, poised right in front of his face.

"Do you yield, green one?" came the haughty and condescending voice from above him.

The shape changing Titan took another moment to center himself. He cursed himself for letting the guy get such a cheap shot in. If he hadn't got hit like that before he was ready, this fight would be going a _lot_ different. He felt something deep inside him twist and howl to be free. Resolved not to go down to such a cheating jerk, he snarled.

"I don't _think_ so, dude!" He then shot forward, shifting to a hummingbird and zipping around the swordsman's head, just looking for an opening. His tiny ribs ached, and his arms burned from the exertion, but all he needed was one little openi-

Somehow the wooden blade struck him unerringly from the air. He shot through the air before ricocheting of a wall and collapsing to the ground, shifting back to his humanoid form, and gasping for air desperately.

"Fool! Did you think that I had so little skill with my blade that I could not hit so small a target? Again, you underestimate the Rising Star of the Hive Academy and again you pay a high price for your mistake!" crowed the arrogant swordsman.

Beast Boy wanted to scream at the top of his lungs at Kunou's treachery, but now, just staying conscious was about all he could manage. He wasn't quite sure why he wasn't dead either. He'd seen the other boy slash stone like butter, had been hit hard enough to topple his enormous elephant form. Why wasn't his little birdy butt sprayed all over the wall instead of just bouncing off it?

It didn't seem like he was going to get an answer, though. In the distance he saw the time hit the minute mark.

He apologized to his leader, wherever the guy was.

"I'm sorry, Robin, I let you down," it came out as a hoarse whisper.

Kunou approached him, sword raised above him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His sonic cannon roared to life, the blue beam of sound tearing up the street as Mammoth deftly dodged. Cyborg looked to the side. A little less than a minute to go! He was gonna have to take this guy down, and _fast_!

A smile crept onto his features. He'd been saving this little trick for Ryouga, but hey, Mammoth would have just as much fun with it, if he remembered right. Cyborg changed his cannon back to a hand and charged forward to grapple with the enormous teen.

Mammoth was only too happy to comply. They crashed together, his hands latching onto Mammoth's shoulders and the other boy's hands grasping his shoulders as well. He pushed with all his might, trying to bring the criminal to his knees, while at the same time trying to fight to force that would send him to his own knees.

Mammoth's fetid breath wasn't exactly making this a great experience, but his smile broadened as they struggled for dominance.

"Yo, what're you smilin about, Tin Face?" growled the snarling villain.

"Just _this_!" he replied happily. Then he converted his left hand into his alternate weapon. He then pushed the weapon right into Mammoth's ape-like face.

The larger boy seemed unimpressed. " _Oooh_ , another noise maker on your other arm, will wonders never cease?" he chortled in a sarcastic voice.

Cyborg's smile only widened at that. "Ain't no sonic cannon, _dude_! _This_ baby was made specially for Ryo! I call it the T-Soaker 3000!"

There was a second’s pause, just long enough for realization to alight on Mammoth’s face.

"Oh crud... "

And then he fired his devilish new weapon.

" _Ooh ooh_!" cried the orange haired orangutan that stood before Cyborg.

The Titanium Titan bent over, laughing his _alloy butt off_. Seeing the monkey before him, wearing Mammoth's costume still, it-it was way _too funny_! He stood back up and wiped a tear from his human eye.

"Now you be a good boy, no more _monkey shines_ from you tonight," he spouted, barely able to keep the laughter from bursting out. He shook his head in amusement as he turned to the device and started walking over. Still a whole forty seconds left.

" _Ooh_!"

Cyborg's short trek was ended as a powerful pair of hands wrapped around his ankle.

" _Waaa_!" The titanium teen's world was suddenly turned upside down as he found himself flying.

He crashed painfully into the pavement, it buckled under him and he was partially buried in the rubble. What was _going on_?

Suddenly he was sliding back and airborne again! " _What’s goin’ o_ -"

He _slammed_ into the ground again, imbedding into the rather unforgiving asphalt. This time he had enough time to look down and see the irate looking simian grasping his leg. That was about all he had time to do before the orangutan heaved again and sent him swinging up and over its head.

 _Owww_... at least _this_ crater was already prepared for his arrival. How the _heck_ was this _happening_? Mammoth still had his strength even in this form?

Enough of that. With another burst of his boot jets, he sent the maniacal monkey skidding across the clearing.

"That's _it_!" declared the aggravated Titan, "Time to spank the monkey!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire grabbed his reaching arm and used it to swing him over her head and slam him into the ground.

Ryouga countered by wrapping his legs around her ankles and rolling, causing her to crash face first into the pavement.

She then twisted his arm in ways that it was not meant to be twisted, eliciting several interesting sounds from the Lost Boy's mouth.

Her nimble opponent then locked one leg under her ankle and pulled her leg one way while planting his other foot on her knee and pushing the opposite way. A wide array of unpleasant sensations ran up her body.

In rebuttal she continued to twist his arm with one hand while wrapping her other arm around his neck in a rather nasty chokehold.

" _Gaak_!"

He quickly reached up with his free hand and wrapped his fingers around her thumb and twisted it in such a way that her whole wrist seized up with pins and needles.

" _Owwiee_!"

She raised up her free leg and stretched it up over her head until her toes her pushing into Ryouga's jaw, forcing it up and away from her in a most cartilage traumatizing way.

When suddenly Ryouga twitched his captured hand just enough that he could turn it and then he _pinched_ her arm painfully!

" _Ouchies_!"

So, he wanted to play dirty? She leaned in and bit his ear!

" _Ow_! No _biting_!" he yelled in annoyance.

"Then you shall desist from the _pinching_!" she shot back.

"Get your foot outta my _face_ and I'll think about it!" he ordered.

"I will get my _foot_ out of your _face_ when you get your hand off of my _thumb_!" she replied heatedly.

What followed could only be described as some of the _proudest_ moments of the Anything Goes School of Indiscriminate Grappling. Unfortunately, neither participant was a student of said school, nor was anyone watching, so no one was able to appreciate that fact.

"Get _Off_!""Stop pulling my _hair_!""Don't _twist_ that!""I need that to _live_!""I can't _feel my legs_!""Someone's claws are on my _Grebnaks_!""Um... _oops_!"

Until finally a truce was reached... truce meaning, of course, that both combatants had become so entangled that neither could move an inch.

Starfire considered her situation... the clock on the device indicated less than a minute left on the clock. She looked down at the boy entangled beneath her... was he _blushing_?

"Um, Star? I know you don't owe me any favors here... but, um, could you not tell _Jinx_ what happened here?" he asked hesitantly. She considered that for a moment while squeezing her shins a little more tightly to make sure that his elbow didn't escape.

"Very well, but only if you also promise not to tell Robin of the... _position_ in which we have found ourselves," she muttered quietly, starting to blush herself now.

They continued to look at each other for another few seconds. Finally, Ryouga broke it again.

" _Soooo_... do we call this a draw?" he asked, sounding a little uncertain how to proceed.

She thought about that as well, before an idea suddenly hit her. "I believe I have an alternative."

The two hopelessly tangled teens then floated from the ground and towards the big red button.

Ryouga rolled his eyes. "That is _soo_ cheap!" he cried, struggling to free his knee from where it was locked under her armpit.

The Tamaranean giggled as they floated through the air.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven huddled on the ground, her hands pressed uselessly against her burning eyes. The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt, like a vial of _acid_ had just been poured over her sensitive violet orbs. Everything was black, her eyes were open, b-but she c-couldn't - she couldn't _see her hands_! They were right in front of her face, but she couldn't _see_ them!

She could feel her hot tears falling on her fingers, but she couldn't see anything. She could taste a vile coppery liquid on her tongue, but she couldn't see anything! The dark Titan wrapped her arms around her shoulders, truly afraid of the darkness for the first time in her life.

"There!" came a taunting voice from the oblivion that surrounded her. "That should make you happy, now you don't have to worry about taking advantage of the poor _blind boy_. Now we're on the same playing field," said the mocking voice, dripping with false concern for her.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure it will wear off _eventually_ , but not in time for you to save yourself here and now." The disembodied voice chuckled cruelly as it circled around her. It was the only thing she could hear, everything else was as much of a blur as the fiery pain that assaulted her eyes.

"Well, I'm sure that we'll have plenty of time to discuss our mutual experiences with blindness later on, but now let's get you back to the academy," stated the condescending voice.

She felt a strong hand grab her shoulder and lift her to her feet. Raven lashed out instinctively, sending a wave of force at the hand, she could hear the pavement tear to shreds under her power.

"Now, that wasn't very _nice_ , don't make me knock you unconscious, I might not be able to _stop_ with that you know?" explained the voice menacingly.

Wait! There, behind her... she could _feel_... something. It was faint, but... _yes_! Slowly she began to extend her aura from her in every direction. The world began to come into focus around her, not a world of light, but a world of sensations and energies. She could feel the pavement around her, the packed earth beneath it. The air and the dust floating in it became visible to her.

Then the boy... yes, standing behind her, she could practically _see_ him there! The way his energy flowed through his body, traveling from the well of energy in his abdomen through his limbs. She could even feel the trace amounts of chi that saturated the weapons that hid within his sleeves. There were so many, far too many to be real, but she could sense them all now.

Slowly she turned to face the boy, her tear stained face dropping into a fierce scowl.

"Mousse, this fight is over," she stated as calmly as she could given the circumstances.

She could sense the boy cock his head to the side in confusion. "Well I'm glad we finally agree on something, Raven. Now why don't you hold still so I don't accidentally hurt you while I tie you up," he offered cheerfully.

With that, his arms shot forward and a dozen chains snaked from his sleeves, flying in her direction. A gentle wave of her hand and all the weapons were cloaked in her power and in her control. She instantly sent them back at the boy and bound him in his own chains.

"No, Mousse, this fight is over... for _you_!" she snarled. The dark Titan then swung her arm over her head, sending Mousse flying up and through the air, until finally he came crashing down onto the podium in the center of the clearing.

BZZZZZ!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki watched the four battles with intense focus. Some were deadly intense, others comically immature. But the entire time her focus was pinned to the digital countdown in the center of the display. Everything came down to the next few seconds; Raven had hit hers early, using Mousse to do the dirty work for her. All the better; she had been worried about that fight, but it had ended just as she had hoped.

The timer hit ten seconds! She hit the communications button on the monitoring suite quickly.

" _Now_!" she commanded forcefully.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg was grappling with OranguMammoth for all he was worth. The guy might have lost a lot of size, but he was just as strong as ever! The Titanium Titan spent a second to glance at the device.

 ** _Ten Seconds_**!

Oh crap! He had to move _now_! But how? His opponent had him locked into the grapple just as surely as he had the other boy!

He was about to try a real desperate move, like discharging his power cell – when Mammoth _slipped_!

Alright! He used the momentary lapse to boot the hairy orange villain away as hard as he could. With that he spun and ran like his life depended on it.

Five seconds!

His foot slammed into the ground again, his arm reaching out.

Four seconds!

Another step closer! His arm was as far as it was going to go.

Three seconds!

Bam! Another thunderous footfall! Almost there, just another inch!

Two seconds!

Wham! With a desperate lunge, his metallic hand nearly crushed the huge red button on top of the podium.

" _Booyah_!"

BZZZZZ!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kunou looked at the timer, some seven seconds left or so. He then looked to the unconscious boy draped across his noble blade, perhaps with a small amount of grudging respect for the boy. He may not have been a worthy opponent, skill wise, but his determination and unwillingness to surrender both spoke highly of the boy's spirit.

Still, orders were orders. With nary a second thought, Kunou flipped his sword up, flopping in unconscious boy onto the top of the large red button that adorned the pedestal at the center of the intersection.

BZZZZZ!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire was quite pleased with her quick thinking. There were still around ten seconds left and she had already positioned herself and the Lost Boy over top of the podium. Now all they needed to do was drop onto the red button. It would probably not be a comfortable landing, but it would accomplish her goal.

 _"'Now_ ' she says, like I can _do_ anything," muttered her extremely close companion. It was more a whisper than anything else, but she still heard him. Hmm, what was her cohort speaking of.

"Of what do you speak, friend Ryouga?" she asked curiously.

Her friend shrugged... well as much as he could given their current position. "This, I guess. Man, Jinx is gonna _kill_ me when she sees me like this."

Then against all logic, the boy reached down with his somewhat free foot...

And pushed the buzzer himself!

BZZZZZZ!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven watched in shock as four metallic arms shot up from the ground surrounding the metallic pedestal. The four arms then converged, a large metallic disc forming at the top where the ends of the arms met. Instantly the spaces between the arms flared to life, a yellow force sphere roughly seven feet in diameter forming around the pedestal.

Mousse sprang up from his now uncontrolled chains and started banging helplessly on the force field. "What is this? Let me _out_ , you can't trick me like this, Raven!”

 _What_? It had been a trap the whole time, everything else had just been a damn distraction! She had no idea what to do now...

No idea at all...

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyborg cursed himself and kicked the force bubble angrily. He'd always been able to pass through Gizmo's shields easily before, but it looked like the small genius had made this new model especially for him.

That sneaky little... _sneak_! Nabiki played them for _chumps_ , gettin them to run through hoops for her, and then this?

What could _possibly_ be worse than getting trapped in a bubble like this?

He let out a long sigh.

"Booyah denied."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire sat with her back to the martial artist that shared her energy prison.

"Um... Starfire?" came a quiet and hesitant voice from the other side of the sphere.

She turned and glared at the boy over her shoulder.

"You are to stay on _your_ half of the spherical energy entrapment, do you understand?" she asked the boy in a huff.

Ryouga nodded, from his rather awkward position.

"I just wanted to ask, why do _I_ have to be on the _top_ half of the sphere? Whatever happened to left and right halves?" grumbled the Lost Boy.

His awkward position was being pinned to the top of the sphere by the podium like device that Starfire now held above her head with one of her hands.

"I have endured _quite_ enough personal contact with you for one day, Hibiki. You will stay where you are and you will be _happy_. Do you understand?" she asked sweetly, while her eyes glowed hotly with barely restrained plasma.

Her companion swallowed nervously at the sight. "Um, yeah, no problem, but do you... have... to push quite... so... _hard_?" he asked, apparently having a little trouble breathing.

Starfire considered that for a moment.

Then she decided to ignore him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven stood silently near the center of the intersection. What was she going to do? It seemed likely that her friends were captured; she was the only one of them that didn't have to come into contact with the device to activate it. But where did that leave her? Should she go and try to save them? Would they even be in the same places by the time she got to them?

A small metallic device flew down into her sphere of awareness. She had no idea what it was, until a voice emitted from the device... a familiar voice, as she had just heard the girl's voice twenty minutes earlier.

" _Congratulations_ , Raven, you managed to not get captured! Don't worry, Robin's identity is safe, and I'm sure he'll be happy with all the new company he'll be getting soon. Now why don't you be a good girl and just sit right there until the rest of my classmates can come and collect you?" asked the insultingly insincere voice.

Raven glared at the small machine with sightless eyes. "You may have won this round, Nabiki, but I'll be back for my friends. And the next time we meet, it will be your _last day_!" she snarled viciously. She then destroyed the infuriating machine with an act of pure will.

That left her standing in the center of the intersection, blind, alone... except for the ranting Chinese boy anyway. She had only a vague idea where her friends were, and no way to get to them, she could only sense things around her for a dozen meters or so before her awareness tapered off.

She dropped her gaze to the ground below, tears still slowly traveling down her cheeks. She couldn't do anything as she was. So, she did the only thing she could think of. She pulled out her communicator and turned on the homing signal.

Regretfully she let it lead her back to the tower, back to safety...

For now.


	16. A Lot Of Random Stuff Happens

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

As always, enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

* * *

The Headmaster stared in awe at the monitoring suite as it displayed the shocking conclusion to the night's events. The aging super villain then turned to look at his young protégée, the brunette smiling widely for the entire world to see. He had been certain that they had lost! That his students had failed _again_.

"A _trap_!" he gasped. "Which of you knew about this?"

The young woman turned to face him, still smiling smugly.

"Of _course_ it was a trap. I never gamble unless I know I'm going to win," she answered smartly. "As for who knew, well, Gizmo obviously, Mammoth too, and of course, Kunou and Ryouga,” explained the young mastermind, “Everyone else was in the dark, I didn't want them slacking off because they knew what was going to happen."

The Headmaster shook his head ruefully. This girl was indeed becoming formidable under his tutelage. All the battles, all the drama and last second heroics, it had all been just a part of her plan. He allowed a rare genuine smile to form on his harsh face.

"Nabiki, I believe there are _big things_ awaiting you in your future," he offered graciously.

"I couldn't agree more," she replied, smirking wickedly. She then turned back to the suite and hit the communications button. "Alright everyone, great job out there. Secure the prisoners and collect anyone that can't move under their own power. It's time to head back to base." Then, almost as an afterthought, Nabiki turned again, a finger raised to her chin.

"Oh, by the way, about those dozen drones you owe me."

* * *

The Titan's main living room sat in foreboding darkness. The only illumination came from the massive bay windows which allowed the one-time occupants to overlook the city they protected. The room was bathed in the shadows which the weak moonlight created, gracing the domicile with a long-abandoned atmosphere. Of course, it had only been this way for roughly forty minutes but still, the sentiment was there.

 _Thump_!

Suddenly the aching absence of sound was dashed by the unlikely noise of something coming into a rather harsh contact with one of the large windows. It was quickly followed by another unusual sound, as a black portal of dark energy formed on the surface of the window in question, allowing a figure to enter to the room.

" _Stupid windows_..." muttered the dark form.

The figure of the girl, for it was obviously a female, quickly floated to the center of the room and collapsed to the floor in a heap. Slowly she curled into a fetal ball, her hands clutching sightless eyes even as tears continued to silently flow down her pale cheeks.

The young woman didn't even attempt to rise to clean her many cuts or bruises, nor replace the cloak which had been so roughly torn from her shoulders. It appeared to be all she could do to even stay awake as she lifted her head.

"Computer, initiate maximum security protocol, authorization Raven: Gamma, Theta, Omega," rasped the exhausted and beaten Titan.

Instantly a siren sounded, and red lights dropped from the ceiling, not that the girl could see them, but she covered her ears tightly to block out the wailing alarms.

"Maximum Security Protocol Activated!" sounded a tinny, disembodied voice.

The moonlight was quickly quashed as enormous metal plates slid down to cover the massive bay windows. This was followed with numerous other mechanical sounds as doors locked down, entrances sealed, and automated weapons sprang out from the walls and ceilings.

Then, after a seeming eternity of hectic and noisome activity... everything stopped. The sirens died and the lights dimmed once more. The main living room of the Titan's tower was thrust into complete and utter darkness, not that the lone occupant would know that.

Almost against her will, Raven let sleep overtake her.

* * *

Cyborg grumbled impotently to himself. He _still_ couldn't believe that he fell for such an underhanded trick! Not two minutes after his capture, a dozen Billy Numerous clones arrived on the scene, and one of them even had hot water to reverse Mammoth's curse. After that, the numerous Billy's had picked up his energy prison and transported him to their Academy.

Personally, the Titanium Titan thought it was a little inappropriate to hide a secret organization bent on mayhem and terror underneath a church. His secret hopes that he had been the only Titan captured where quickly dashed when he saw Starfire's and Beast Boy's yellowish prisons being loaded into the elevator before him.

His little green buddy was unconscious and looked really hurt. That steamed Cyborg's circuits even more. If they had seriously hurt BB, there was gonna be some _serious_ heck to pay! The severity of his best friend's condition was enough that he couldn't even bring himself to laugh over the position that Starfire had somehow gotten herself into.

His fiery haired friend had somehow captured her captor as well. Starfire sat on the bottom of the sphere, a look of stark annoyance on her features. Her companion, who didn't look any happier about the situation, was pinned tightly to the top of the sphere by the podium that Starfire was crushing into his chest.

How that had happened was beyond Cyborg, and quite frankly he didn't care now. Things weren't looking that good, that was for sure. The only saving grace so far was that he had yet to see Raven being carried in. It did seem likely that the dark girl would have escaped; she could have easily used her telekinetic power to hit the button from a distance.

He scoffed again. Push the button _indeed_! The whole thing about Robin's identity being revealed had been a scam!

Starfire hadn't been all that talkative as they traveled down the elevator and were transported to their holding area. He was sure it was the holding area, since Robin was already there, captive in a slightly smaller yellow sphere of his own. He noticed the masked boy's gaze drop when the boy saw him carted in, then harden when he saw Beast Boy's broken form, then widen in shock when he saw Starfire and her cellmate.

"What happened to you guys?" asked their worried leader.

Cyborg could only wave.

"Good to see you too Robbie, it's been awhile, man," he replied tiredly. It was then that he finally took in the rest of the room and noticed its other occupants. Jinx was there, casually leaning against one of the walls. Her eyebrow arched cutely as she looked at the orb containing her fiancé and the Tamaranean. Mammoth and some guy with one big eye were both there as well, the taller boy coming with Cyborg while the cycloptic boy had arrived with Starfire. Near Robin's prison was another person whom the large Titan had never seen before.

She was tall, almost as tall as himself; he figured she might be a year or two older than him as well. The young woman was _really_ pretty, with exotic Japanese features and long brown hair tied into a ponytail that lay across her shoulder. Her face was graced with a beatific smile as she watched their arrival. For some reason that the cybernetic Titan couldn't fathom, she was wearing an apron. She certainly didn't fit in with the other costumed villains in the room.

In a rather orderly manner, the Billy's dropped each of their spheres, each one beside an upraised platform like the one that Robin currently occupied. Obviously, those were more permanent versions of the force bubbles that held them now. Hmm, that gave him an idea...

After that, the Billy's left quickly, muttering something about getting scarce. Mammoth then moved forward and bowed formally to the girl wearing the apron, smiling goofily the whole time. "I hereby release the prisoners to your charge, Kasumi," the boy stated seriously. He then straightened and chuckled lightly. "Heh, how was that? Sounded pretty official and all, eh?"

Off to the side, Cyborg saw Jinx roll her eyes in amusement.

The girl, Kasumi obviously, returned the much taller boy's bow before covering her mouth with a hand and giggling daintily. "Yes, Mammoth, that sounded very good! And thank you very much, I officially take charge of our new guests," replied the tall girl. She then turned to the other villains. "You can all go now, I'll transfer our new guests to the new containment units, and then I'll get dinner started."

Jinx pushed off the wall and moved to lean on Robin's sphere. "Naw, we better stay here, just in case," she explained casually. Rather than argue, Kasumi smiled happily and nodded. She then moved to face his sphere.

"Hello, Mr. Cyborg, it's my duty to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible. If it isn't too much trouble, could you please move to the platform beside you after I deactivate the shield around you?" she asked him pleasantly. He looked at her strangely... she sure was being nice about this.

"Um... sure?" he replied uncertainly. Was she really going to be that careless about the transfer? Looked like his plan was just gonna be that much easier. He looked around quickly. Jinx was checking her nails, looking relatively unconcerned. The cycloptic boy was over by Starfire's cell, laughing at his unfortunate cohort. Mammoth was off to the side, absently cleaning out his ear with a pinky while Kasumi's back was turned.

The apron clad girl smiled happily at his answer. "Thank you very much." She then reached out and deactivated the device which entrapped him, running a finger over a button on one of the metal arms on the side of the device.

As soon as the yellow energy vanished, Cyborg made his move. Reaching out as fast as he could, he fiercely grabbed the young woman's arm and pulled her against his chest. He then configured his sonic cannon and held it to her head.

Everything happened so _fast_ ; he was about to order the girl to release his companions, when several things happened, seemingly at once.

" _Cyborg, don’t_!" came Robin's desperate cry from the side. The shout distracted the massive Titan for just a second. He turned to send a questioning look to his masked leader. This cost him dearly as Robin's shout was quickly followed by three shouts of rage.

A flash of pink blinded him, then a wall of blue filled his vision and sent him flying. A second later he was pulled forcefully from the air and slammed against one of the yellow walls so powerfully that the metallic hexagons buckled and collapsed around him.

" ** _Nobody touches Kasumi_**!" Mammoth's roar nearly deafened Cyborg as the giant teen screamed directly into his face.

Cyborg felt lucky for his titanium trachea as the berserk villain's hand continued to crush him into the wall by his neck. In the distance he heard Starfire's gasp of shock. Heck, he wasn't sure _what_ had just happened, himself!

"Mammoth stop! It's okay, I'm alright," Kasumi called from across the room. At hearing her voice, Mammoth stopped snarling in his face, though he didn't ease up at all on the pressure around his neck. The large teen then turned to check on the girl in question, finally allowing Cyborg to see what exactly had happened as well.

In the center of the room stood Kasumi, gingerly rubbing her arm where he had grabbed her. She was surrounded by a protective blue orb that was shaped strangely like an eyeball. On the ground by Kasumi's feet were _both_ of his metallic arms!

That pink flash! Jinx must have done something to make his arms detach, then as soon as Kasumi was free, the eyeball kid had used that orb to protect her and knock him away. Then Mammoth had come to finish the job!

Not that it would have mattered even if he _did_ still have his arms attached. Cyborg wasn't a coward by any means, but the furious expressions on the three villains faces made even him nervous.

Not feeling up to resisting anymore, Cyborg let Mammoth tear him out of the wall and toss him onto the upraised platform next to Robin's. The orange haired villain then leaned in.

"You better _pray_ that Kasumi isn't hurt, or I'll be back to _finish_ the job, got that, Titan?" threatened the imposing criminal. Cyborg could only nod nervously and sit down. Mammoth then stalked over to stand by Kasumi, whom was just being released from her own spherical containment.

The girl smiled again, she seemed to do that a lot, and laid a calming hand on Mammoth's shoulder. He turned to look at her and smiled that goofy smile again. Kasumi then bent down and picked up one of the cybernetic limbs on the ground before her. With a light grunt of exertion, she carried over to his platform.

"I don't suppose you could tell me how to reattach this? I don't think you can do it without a hand?" asked girl calmly, not a trace of humor on her face. A loud snicker from Starfire's cell gained his attention.

"Heh, Kasumi making puns, it's a sign of the end times." Ryouga chuckled to himself; it was quickly cut off as the Tamaranean added a little more pressure to the podium pressing into his chest.

Slowly Cyborg stood up and leaned towards the girl. Why was she being so nice? Heck, he was just about to threaten to blast her! "Um, just hold it up to the socket on the shoulder, it should just click into place as long as nothing's broken," he answered quietly. The brunette nodded and complied, a loud click sounded, and the Titanium Titan found his arm reattached once more.

Kasumi then retrieved his other arm and handed it to him politely. A second later he was fully rearmed and ready to go. "Uh, thanks I guess, you didn't have to do that," he said, looking down. For some reason he felt bad for attacking the girl.

She bowed once more. "Of course I did, I wouldn't be a very good hostess if I let you go without your arms... granted, I don't usually _have_ guests with detachable limbs," added the girl, absently raising a finger to her chin. She then moved over to the wall panel and activated the sphere around him.

The older girl then moved to Starfire's cell. "Now are you two done playing together yet?" she asked sweetly. Jinx came up to stand beside the girl, a strange look on her face as she looked at the two captives.

"That's a good question, we'd _hate_ to interrupt if you love birds are in the middle of something," she said. It had _sounded_ like she was joking, but something about her tone of voice gave Cyborg the distinct impression that the girl was not amused. That and the nervous look quickly spreading on the lost martial artist's face kind of confirmed it.

Starfire looked first to the one girl, then the next in confusion. She then shot a questioning look up to the boy above her. His only response was to shrug and nod, as if telling her to just go along with it. Slowly the Tamaranean turned her gaze back to the two girls before her.

"Um... yes, the two of us are very much done playing. You may transfer me to my new cell now," stated the jade-eyed alien. Kasumi smiled and moved forward to deactivate the sphere.

As she did Jinx leaned forward. "No more tricks, Titan, or we'll see if _your_ arms come off, got it?" she muttered angrily, her eyes flashing a molten pink. Starfire leaned back somewhat nervously at that. Heck, Cyborg felt a little nervous at that himself. Sheesh, what was _Jinx's_ problem?

As soon as the force field was released there was a loud crash as the machine that Starfire had been holding, as well as the Lost Boy it had been implanted into, crashed to the ground. Ryouga gasped for air as soon as he was free from the device. Mammoth and his friend chuckled at the martial artist's plight even as Kasumi walked Starfire over to her new prison and activated it.

It looked like the Lost Boy's troubles weren't over yet though. Jinx stalked over to the collapsed boy and glared down at him, hands clenched into fists on her hips. Cyborg knew the look of a woman scorned when he saw one... he _almost_ felt sorry for their traitorous friend.

"And what exactly was _that_ all about? Getting mighty cozy in there with that Titan, _weren't you_?" asked the pink haired villain, anger seething in her voice. Ryouga shot to his feet, waving his arms wildly and making little warding gestures with his fingers.

"Jinx! It's not what it looked like! _Really_!" pleaded the panicking fighter.

Jinx only sniffed loudly and turned her back on the poor boy. "Oh _please_! You expect me to believe that after seeing you two _together_ like that?" accused the girl.

"Seen us together like _what_? I was being _crushed to death_!" shot back the Lost Boy, desperately trying to diffuse the situation.

"Pfft, _whatever_!" shot back the pink eyed sorceress. With that she waved her hand dismissively and stalked angrily out of the prison area, an anxiously fast-talking martial artist hot on her heels trying desperately to explain himself.

Cyborg could only shake his head as he watched the two leave. He noticed Robin doing the same while Starfire giggled slightly at the scenario. On that note, he turned to Robin. He was about to ask just why the guy had told him to stop when –

"Mammoth! Come here _quick_!" Kasumi's cry drew his attention like a magnet. He turned to see the Asian girl kneeling by Beast Boy, the emerald changeling's head carefully laid in her lap as she examined him. The large, cursed criminal charged over to see what she wanted.

"What happened to this boy? He has fractured ribs; they could even be _broken_! We have to take him to the medical wing right away!" she stated in a worried voice. Cyborg reeled again, why was she so concerned, weren't they just gonna wipe them all out anyway? Something about that Kasumi girl didn't gel with the rest of the people he had seen so far.

"Kunou was in charge of takin out Beast Boy there, I guess he got a little rough," explained Mammoth. He then leaned down and gently - _gently?_ \- lifted the boy from Kasumi's lap.

What could almost be considered a cross look passed over the girl's face. "He did, did he? I think I shall have to have a _talk_ with Tatewaki about this."

The Japanese girl then turned and faced the three of them.

"Your friend needs medical attention, so I'm afraid I'll have to leave you for the time being. See-more will look after you for now; if you need anything, feel free to ask," said the girl, bowing politely to each of them. She then turned and led Mammoth out of the room. The door closed behind them with a ponderous _thud_.

Cyborg could only look from Robin to Starfire and back. "Okay, weirdest moment _ever,_ man," he said. Starfire could only nod in agreement. Robin kind of shrugged and looked away.

"Naw, you get used to it after a while."

* * *

Nabiki looked over the tiny genius' shoulder anxiously. She saw the device he was working on, but of course she had no idea how it worked or even really what he was working on. But then, if she did, she probably wouldn't need a tiny genius in her employ in the first place.

"So, can you do it Gizmo?" she asked again.

Finally, Gizmo set down his tools and spun around on his stool to face her, a slight look of annoyance on his face. Well, he had been a busy guy lately, so she wouldn't hold it against him... this time anyway.

"I'm not sure, Boss, she's got that tower on _lock-down_ , so it's not like you can just walk in there. _Cybutt_ might be a complete dork, but his tech is state of the art, it'll take time to do what you want," explained the young villain in training, a hint of weary respect in his voice

She nodded in agreement, not that she knew anything about what he was talking about, but it was important to always appear like you know what's going on around you.

"Alright, but time isn't exactly something we have in great abundance. I don't need anything big or flashy; I just need to nudge her in the right direction. If we're lucky, it won't be necessary, but I'm not sure how much Mousse's attack shook her up," she explained patiently.

He nodded, shuddering slightly. "Sheesh, I don't _blame_ her. That wasn't the same guy that I tangled with back in Japan. This new improved version was out for _blood_ , I'm surprised he actually lost there," he replied.

Nabiki shrugged, she was _more_ than used to seeing Mousse get pummeled. He had been a little more vindictive than usual, though, she still couldn't believe he had blinded the Titan like that. That move was low even for the Hidden Weapon Master. Heck, she still wasn't even sure how Raven had turned that around like she had, or how she had made it back to the tower for that matter.

Still, blind, or not, she had a job to do, and Nabiki wasn't about to let any of her pawns slack off on her watch.

"I can probably give you a few days at the most, Giz. If anything, I know a few ways to stall, but don't make me wait too long," she purred the last part into the young boy's ear. The boy's cheeks reddened like ripe apples instantly and he spun quickly back to his desk.

"Don't worry, Gizmo is on the job, Boss!"

* * *

Ryouga tore down the corridor like his life depended on it. Other students were blurs of color in his peripheral vision, doors zipped by like bullets and the only sound he could hear was the pounding of his own heart as it tried desperately to beat its way out of his chest.

" _Ryouga_!" came the furious voice of the Hive sorceress from behind him.

Oh yeah, he could hear Jinx fine, too.

' _You_ _know_ ,' Ryouga thought to himself, it had been much better when he had been chasing Jinx around the Academy trying vainly to explain that nothing had happened in the force bubble with Starfire.

Until, of _course,_ Jinx had inadvertently led them into the cafeteria where a bunch of the students had been watching some of the fight highlights that the aerial cameras had recorded. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, the highlight which all of the guy's seemed to like watching over and over and _over_ again involved a certain wrestling match between a certain bandanna clad martial artist and a certain, very flexible and mini-skirt wearing Tamaranean.

He wondered why the guys liked that fight so much?

All of which led him to where he was now, fleeing like P-Chan from a group of angry souse-chefs! Except chefs had never scared him as much as the girl chasing him right now!

Up ahead of him the corridor took a hard ninety-degree left turn, he planted a foot and launched himself for all he was worth... _Wait – **Right** – The corridor turned right!_

The impact shook him right down to his bones.

 _Ooohhh_ , that wall didn't lead to another room either, that was some good ol'bedrock behind that wall. ' _Woooo,'_ was about the most coherent thought he could put together as he felt a delicate hand not so gently pull him out of the Hive academies newest crater.

Of course, what he faced now wasn't nearly as forgiving as a reinforced steel wall. He shook off the last of the cobwebs as she pushed him down onto his butt to lean back against the undamaged wall. Slowly she sat beside him, pulling her knees to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.

"You big _dummy_ , only _you_ could turn the wrong way at a one-way street." She giggled quietly. He blushed a bit in embarrassment, but then he was pretty used to accidentally destroying property. That and his face plant seemed to have the positive effect of temporarily derailing her anger.

"So, if you _weren't_ engaged in a graphic display of mutual molestation with miss _sunshine_ back there, what exactly _were_ you doing?" she asked him quietly, only gazing at him out of the corner of her eye.

He had been afraid of this, ever since he decided how he was going to fight Starfire. Really, this kind of thing was only supposed to happen to _Ranma_. At least that jerk deserved it! He leaned back until his head rested on the cool metal behind him.

"Jinx, you _know_ I wouldn't do anything like that. I just didn't want to hurt Starfire, that was all. I didn't think she would get out of the initial arm bar I used on her, honestly. Things just kinda... got outta hand, I guess," he mumbled in apology.

"Yeah _right_ ," muttered the downcast sorceress. "Bad enough you actually like _Raven_ , now I gotta worry about you getting all hot and heavy with that alien airhead?" she continued, her voice was so quiet she almost seemed to be whispering to herself. Jinx then dropped her forehead to rest on her knees.

Ryouga let out a long-suffering sigh. Why were girls so jealous about stuff like that? He hardly knew Starfire at all; he just felt a strong connection to the girl. Strangely he wasn't really attracted to her at all; sure, she was pretty, but for some reason he had been completely comfortable wrestling with her in the dirt like that. He reached out and wrapped a comforting arm around the dark girl's shoulders and pulled her to his side.

"Jinx, I don't know how many times I have to keep telling you this; quite frankly I'm starting to think about tying you up in a harness and slamming you into boulders with the words ‘ _I love you_ ’ written all over them! I respect Starfire, she's a good fighter, but I'm just not attracted to her like that. And I don't even know what you're thinking about with that _Raven_ comment; I've only seen the girl for like ten seconds in my life," he exclaimed to the uncertain girl in his arms.

Suddenly the girl looked nervous for a second, glancing around. "Um, heh, nothing, really... um, it's just that she always wears that trampy leotard thingy with her _enormous boobs_ hanging everywhere!" she stuttered quickly.

Ryouga felt his face heat up to dangerous levels and quickly lifted his other hand to pinch his nose. Slowly he counted down from five then responded. "Are you _still_ going on about that? I am _not_ obsessed with how big your breasts are!"

"Indeed, young Jinx, Ryouga here is a model gentleman, and is lucky to have such a lovely fiancée. Of course, you don't exactly suit a man of _my_ unique needs, but that's nothing you can control," came a wizened voice from off to the side.

" _Ahhh_!"" _Eeek_!" They shrieked together, turning to see Happosai standing only a foot to the left of them. A second later they recovered from the minor shock.

"You know, Master Happosai, I'm not sure whether the fact you act normally around me is relieving or insulting," grumbled the pink haired sorceress. Ryouga nearly choked on his tongue trying to swallow his laugh, he would _definitely_ pick relieving on that issue.

The ancient pervert waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, you're still young yet, there's always hope. Actually, I was here to commend Ryouga there on his _excellent_ display earlier tonight, that was some very _enlightening_ footage I must say," said the old man, chuckling to himself and acquiring a far away look as he gazed at the wall above them. Absently the old man took a long puff from his ever-present pipe.

Jinx turned to face him and shot him a questioning look. Ryouga could only shrug in response, he had no idea what was going through the old fossil's mind at the best of times. Still, he did have the perfect solution to the irritating old man.

" _Look, someone’s panties_!" he shouted, pointing dramatically over the old man's shoulder.

Instantly Happosai spun to look. " _Sweeto_!"

As soon as he turned his back, Ryouga stretched out from the wall and launched a kick to the back of the old man's head with all the strength he could muster. The man was fired down the corridor like a pinball, ricocheting off floor, wall, and ceiling before disappearing around a corner farther down. He turned to see Jinx staring at him, eyes like saucers.

He shrugged, what else did _anyone_ ever do with Happosai when they wanted to get rid of him? Of course, he was probably gonna pay for that later, but it'd be worth it now that he had a little private time with his fiancée.

"So, where were we again?" he asked playfully. The pale skinned girl looked back at him, a sly look crossing her catlike features.

"I think you were just telling me how much you wanted to _tie me up_ ," she purred.

* * *

Kasumi looked up from the green skinned boy she was tending. The autodoc that Mammoth had showed her was very proficient but lacked that nice bedside manner that she had learned from Dr Tofu. Idly she noticed Jinx and Ryouga walking down the hallway in front of the medical lab, both were smiling. Jinx smiling cutely while Ryouga was wearing that endearing goofy grin he always wore around the girls he liked. The Lost Boy also seemed to be blushing a very bright shade of red.

The eldest Tendo daughter thought the two looked unbelievably cute together, but on the other hand, Nabiki had explained to her what the Headmaster had done to the sensitive young boy to bring him into the fold. Kasumi could not condone playing with people's emotions to coerce them to do things. And yet, Ryouga looked so happy, and Jinx seemed very sincere as well. Kasumi had seen her chasing him the other way only minutes ago. The apron clad Tendo smiled warmly; Jinx wouldn't have been chasing him like that if she hadn't felt _something_.

Still, she felt that she should go talk to the young sorceress. If the two of them felt _that way_ about each other, then perhaps it wasn't too bad. But if Jinx was just leading the poor boy on because the Headmaster told her to... Kasumi frowned a rare frown. Ryouga was practically a part of her family and she wanted him to be happy.

Decision in mind, Kasumi stood up and started for the door.

" _Unnnnnhhhh_ ," came a plaintiff moan from the medical bed. Kasumi turned in surprise and moved to her patient's side. The poor boy was coming around already; he must have been hardier than his narrow frame would lead one to believe. She leaned forward and placed a calming hand on his forehead.

Groggily, the boy raised one of his hands and rubbed his eye, slowly opening both to reveal a pair of gleaming emerald orbs. The boy blinked several times, looking around in confusion and disorientation for a few seconds until his eyes finally settled on her.

"Ummm, are you an angel? Cuz if I'm dead and all the angels look like you... I think I'm good with that," mumbled the young man happily.

"Oh _my_!" Kasumi felt herself giggling at his silly words. Such a sweet boy. "I'm not an angel, Mr. Beast Boy. My name is Kasumi. Now you lie back and stay still, I just bandaged your ribs and made sure that you were alright," she ordered the green-eyed youth gently.

The young man did just as she asked. Laying back and slowly taking in the room around him. Slowly apprehension and resignation filled his eyes. He let out a long sigh. "I guess that means that Stick Boy didn't actually kill me. Guess that means I'm a prisoner eh?" he asked in a muted voice.

She nodded slowly. She didn't like being reminded that her guests were actually prisoners. The eldest Tendo didn't like the idea of holding people against their will; even after all the classes she had taken. In fact, she was starting to not like the Headmaster very much _at all_. She was starting to get the strange feeling that he wasn't a nice person.

"Don't worry; I plan on having a long talk with Tatewaki and with Mousse. They were both _very_ mean! Tatewaki hurt you very badly and Mousse did some very naughty things to your friend Raven. I just hope she can take care of herself... maybe I should go to the tower and see if she needs any medical attention," she mused to herself, raising a hand to her chin in consideration.

She was somewhat distracted by the utterly shocked look that the boy wore as he stared at her. Hmm, maybe he was still in pain, his ribs had been hit awfully hard. "Are you all right, Mr. Beast Boy?" she asked, concerned.

The young changeling shook his head before looking at her again. "Um, yeah, I guess so anyway. Ummm, did you just say you wanted to go help Raven? And why did you patch me up for that matter? Aren't you guys just gonna blow us all up or something when this is all done?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice.

Again, the boy's words struck her. The Headmaster had never actually stated _what_ was to be done with the Titans once they had all been captured, but she had heard her fellow students talk. Most of the things that they had said hadn't exactly instilled her with confidence.

"I-I'm sure that's not the case," she mumbled quietly. "But I'm in charge of all of the guests, so as long as you're in my care, you will be treated well, do you understand?"

The young pointy-eared boy nodded, looking slightly mollified for the time being. He then yawned mightily, struggling to keep his eyes open. Kasumi guessed it was the pain killers she had given him starting to do their work. Slowly, she lowered his head back to the bed and stared at the young boy before her.

She didn't care what the Headmaster planned. Kasumi wasn't going to allow _any_ of her guests to be harmed, that she vowed. At least that wasn't going to be an issue until after Raven was captured.

Because honestly, she had _no idea_ how she was going to fulfill her vow.

With a heavy heart, she waited with Beast Boy until he woke again, then she led him back to the " _guest room_ " where he could at least recover with his friends.

* * *

Mousse sat idly by the pool table of the rec room, idly flipping a throwing knife into the air before him. It was nice to be wearing his glasses again so he could see, well it would have been if he weren’t being subjected to watching that fool kendoist being fawned over by the flying girls. What in all the _world_ did those two see in that buffoon? And considering the situation all the Nerimians were in, how could the fool swordsman lead them on like that?

He let out a long sigh of disgust. Mostly, he was frustrated that he had lost to that accursed Titan. True, there was no shame losing to such a powerful opponent, but if he hadn't been ordered to capture her, she would have been dead before she had even sensed his presence. An ignoble death was all that the Titans deserved considering what they had _done_!

The Hidden Weapon Master vaguely remembered the battle in Nerima, being tricked by the technological wonders of the larger Titan. After that he didn't remember anything at all, until he awoke in the care of the Headmaster. The older man had explained that he and his students had rescued Mousse, as well as several other people, from a kidnapping plot by the Titans.

Mousse had been appropriately grateful; after all, being captured in such a way just wasn't seemly. But in all honesty, it had happened so many times that he hadn't really felt animosity to his supposed captors. But then the Headmaster informed him that not everyone had been so fortunate.

A-apparently the dark Titan had been sent for Shampoo... The Headmaster told him that there had been nothing they could have done. His beloved had fought bravely, like a true Amazon, but... _in the end_...

He clenched his eyes shut in fury and slammed his knife up to the hilt into the pool table with enough force to snap the blade off entirely. _Why_ hadn't he killed the Titan? It was the _least_ she deserved for her crime! He had wanted to, _needed to_! But something held him back, was it the Headmaster? Certainly, the man saved him, but Mousse owed the man no real favors. The only person that he owed _anything_ to was Shampoo, and he knew that only one thing would appease her spirit.

 _Revenge_.

Mousse had been so distraught when the Headmaster had first told him about his love's fate that he had immediately agreed to undergo the deadly training of that old man, away from the other students. Learning the assassin's arts seemed to be very fitting to him at that moment, considering what he was planning to do to the demon that tore Shampoo from his life forever.

"What did the table ever do to _you_ , four eyes?" asked Bumble Bee as she strode over to him, dragging Kunou and Angel along by default. Mousse felt his eyes tighten at the minor insult, his left hand already finding something in his sleeve that would prove a suitably deadly response to her inquiry.

Slowly he slipped up his glasses and glared at the black and yellow striped blur before him, deadly intent in his gaze.

"Excuse me?" he muttered darkly. Slowly he began to move the selected weapon down his sleeve. He didn't know why he was sitting here, anyway; he should be out hunting down the girl that had _destroyed_ his life. Did it matter if he left a trail of bodies in his wake?

Apparently, the girl didn't seem to sense the mettle in his voice, leaning forward and getting ready to say something else. Until Kunou rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Nay, noble Amazon, the maiden spoke only in jest. Verily we can see that you are distressed at the moment, so we shall leave you in peace." With that Kunou left, verily dragging a loudly arguing bee-striped girl behind him.

He shook his head ruefully, who'd have imagined that the swordsman had two brain cells to rub together sometimes. The nearly blind boy sighed again, how could Kunou and Ryouga get involved with the girls here so recklessly? Weren't they at all _saddened_ at Shampoo's passing? One would think they didn't even know. He had wanted to ask the Lost Boy what exactly was going on around here as well, since Hibiki seemed to be the most comfortable in his surroundings, but the Headmaster said he didn't want Mousse to speak with Ryouga. Strange that.

Idly, he pulled a pair of pliers from his robe and dug the broken blade out of the pool table. He could always repair it later, after all. After that he decided to go to the gym for more training. His skills were not up to the task yet, so he needed to push himself harder, further than ever before. He had to be able to slay a demon!

If Shampoo were to rest easy... Raven had to _die_.

* * *

Robin was starting to get a little worried. Beast Boy had been gone for quite awhile, and Kasumi had been worried about the boy's injuries. The masked Titan certainly hoped that their green friend was alright. He had to admit though, things were starting to look grim, only Raven was free now and she had an entire school of villains and martial artists lined up against her.

"Yo, Robbie! Why did you tell me to stop when I grabbed that girl? I coulda got us all outta here," asked Cyborg from the force field next to his.

"Yes, I too would like to know why you seemed so concerned for this strange female Robin," came Starfire's rather pointed inquiry from two cells down.

He let out a beleaguered sigh. "It's hard to explain. All I can tell you right now though, is that Kasumi is a non-combatant. Cyborg, if you had used your sonic cannon on her, you would have killed her... I couldn't allow that to happen," he explained sadly.

It was too bad he hadn't figured that out himself when he had first been here, or he might have escaped then and there. As it was, there was no way he could raise a hand against the motherly young woman now. It was ironic that she was the one to tell him that as well. It had been during one of their conversations, he had idly asked her what style of martial arts she used. Without even missing a beat, she had told him that she didn't train in the martial arts anymore; she had only learned the basics from her father.

"Dude, I wouldn't have _hurt_ her, but man, _something_ is up with that girl. Not only did she have you defending her, but I ain't _never_ seen super villains get that mad when one of their friends got hurt before. And Mammoth, _jeez_ , I thought I was gonna die right there!" cried his cybernetic companion.

Starfire moved to the side of her sphere so that she could join the conversation. "I too noticed that she seems markedly at odds with the other occupants of this facility. Her niceness and compassion were most incredible. I feel certain that Beast Boy will be safe in her care."

See-more nodded. "Yeah, that's Kasumi for you, everyone loves her here," added the optical villain cheerfully. He then cringed back at the combined glares of three captive superheroes. "Uh, heh, guess I'm not really a part of this conversation eh?" he finished lamely. The criminal youth then moved to the far side of the room and sulked in the corner.

With a loud hiss, the massive door to the room began to slide open. A moment later Kasumi entered the room leading a starry-eyed Beast Boy by the hand. She smoothly led the boy to the fourth platform and activated his cell. She then turned back to the boy.

"Now, no shape changing or any other strenuous activity alright? You might aggravate your injuries if you do," she ordered the young boy.

Beast Boy nodded dreamily in agreement... that seemed to be about all he was capable of really. Starfire giggled at his antics yet again. Then Kasumi turned to face the rest of them and bowed. "Once again, I apologize. I have something I need to do, but then I will return with your meals," she stated. Then the girl straightened and left the room once more.

Boy, thought Robin, she sure seemed to be in a rush today. He wondered what she was had to do that was so important, well that and what she was bringing them to eat, he was starting to get hungry.

This time the door didn't close however, as a new figure entered the room. It was another girl, wearing a smart business suit, Robin was certain that he hadn't seen this girl before. Though the way that his three companions suddenly jumped up and started growling, it seemed relatively certain that they knew her from somewhere.

Uncertain what was going on, Robin leaned back to watch.

* * *

Nabiki smirked confidently as she entered the large room where her quarry were held. Judging by the way that Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy jumped up and started cursing at her entrance, they obviously remembered her. All the better. _Hmm_ , she noticed that someone had bandaged up the emerald shape changer. It didn't really take a large leap of logic to figure out who that must have been. That was good, she was going to need them all in good shape soon enough.

"You _cheater_! You set us up, it was all a big trick!" accused Beast Boy angrily.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, heaven _forbid_ that you were lied to by the _super villain_ in training," she shot back sarcastically. Really, did they expect her to play fair when she didn't have to?

"But then why the deception? Why did you send your fellow students to attack us and attempt to capture us?" asked Starfire curiously. The middle Tendo smiled again. Finally, an intelligent question, and she'd been really looking forward to this too, all the books said that gloating was one of the most rewarding parts of the super villain career.

"I'm so glad you asked, Starfire. You see, this wasn't just a trap for you; it was also a test for my fellow students. The Headmaster asked me to come up with a plan that utilized all my fellow students so that he could grade their performance. If any of them were able to capture you, then good on them," she started, just getting warmed up.

"Then, of course I had to throw you all off balance. I mean, seriously, if I had just left each booby trap just sitting out in the middle of the street with nothing else, I'm sure even kids like yourselves would have gotten a little suspicious. Threatening your tower, blackmailing you with Robin, sending waves of opponents against you, it was all just to distract you so you wouldn't think twice about rushing in to hit the traps. That and you hero types just _love_ dramatic timing, so I had to make things close for you," she continued happily. This really _was_ fun, and therapeutic as well, now she saw what the books were saying.

"The true plan, _my_ plan, was to set you up to capture yourself. That's how I work you see. I don't like to use force or violence to solve my problems. It's so much more satisfying to see your marks set themselves up for a fall even as they think they're coming out ahead. ‘Lose to win, win to lose’ and all that. Of course, I didn't catch _all_ of you, but I had anticipated Raven's escape. Really, it's just a matter of time before everything comes together though," she finished, quite happy with herself now.

"You're still a lying _sneak_ , tricking us like that!" Beast Boy barked.

She allowed herself a small chuckle at that. "Beast Boy, you're currently in the custody of a villainous institution comprised of sociopathic criminals. _Trust me_ , if being tricked by harmless little me is the worst thing that happens to you, you should be _thankful_."

Robin shook his head in amazement. "Diabolical. Well now that you have us, what are you going to do with us?" asked the masked Titan.

Nabiki turned to face the boy in question, impressed with the calm way he handled the situation. She could respect a person like that, which was why she had taken him out first, after all. If there was one thing that the mercenary girl couldn't stand, it was a fair fight.

"Nothing...yet. My assignment was to capture _all_ the Titans. So, I don't plan on doing anything asides from leaving you in my sisters competent care-"

"Your _sister_ is Kasumi!" she was interrupted by Cyborg's incredulous outburst. "How does a manipulative shrew like _you_ have a sister like that?"

The brunette narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Thank you _so_ much for your kind words. Are you sure it's a good idea to insult the girl that's ultimately in control of your immediate fate?" she asked, letting the threat hang in the air.

"Now, as I was saying. I don't plan on doing anything to you until Raven has been captured as well. So, enjoy your time as much as possible... while you can," she told them ominously. She then turned and made her way to the door. She still had a few other things to do before she checked in with Gizmo again. However, just before she left, she decided to leave one last comment.

"Don't worry Titans. I'm sure that you'll see your friend Raven again sooner than you think."

* * *

Ryouga was following Jinx down yet another featureless yellow corridor; supposedly she was leading him to his room so that he could get some rest from all the fighting and running he had been doing. Secretly he was hoping she was just using ‘rest’ as a euphemism for them spending time alone together. Not that he wanted anything to happen, and if it did, he'd probably pass out anyway, but still, he enjoyed spending time with her anyway.

Walking, walking, walking... _hmm_ someone left a TV on in that room. It only distracted him for a second... but when he turned back, Jinx was _gone_!

He groaned loudly to himself. How was it that he could run at top speeds through this crazy maze of a school and not shake the girl, but when he was actually following her because he _wanted_ to spend time with her, the very moment that he turned his eyes for a second he loses her? Once again, he bemoaned the cruelty of fate and wondered why the gods hated him so much.

"Greetings, Hibiki," sounded a familiar voice behind him. He turned to face his unusual friend.

"Hey there, Mousse! It's been awhile since I've seen you around. Hey! Do you want to go spar some?" he asked, his poor mood already forgotten.

The longhaired boy seemed to consider his proposal for several seconds before shrugging. "Why not? Follow me, I was already heading to the gym myself," replied the Hidden Weapon Master.

With that, the two left for the gymnasium.

* * *

Jinx nearly had a heart attack when someone suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her into a nearby room and closed it behind her. She was so shocked she nearly fired off a hex at her attacker until she noticed who it was.

" _Kasumi_! What the _heck_ are you doing?" she asked, her voice conveying the shock that overwhelmed her.

The older girl gazed at the floor, looking a little embarrassed about her rather brash and forward action. Jinx was a bit confused herself, since when did Kasumi sneak around like this? Let alone grabbing people and dragging them into rooms.

"Well, Kasumi? What's up? I was kinda in the _middle_ of something. Now I'm probably gonna have to spend the next hour tracking down Ryouga," she grumbled in frustration. She had already had plans for the next few hours of Ryouga's time, and it hadn't involved wandering aimlessly around the Academy. The pink haired sorceress turned and was about to leave... when Kasumi pinned her with what could only be considered a stern look. Instantly Jinx froze in place, all thoughts of leaving banished from her mind.

 _Uh-oh_.

"It was Ryouga that I wanted to talk to you about, Jinx. Nabiki told me everything that the Headmaster had done to him, and I found myself to be extremely disappointed," explained the older girl.

Jinx looked down and slowly dug her toe into the room's carpet. This was pretty much the _last_ thing that she had wanted to do. As if she wasn't having _enough_ internal dilemmas over what was happening between her and Ryouga, now if felt like she was going to get a lecture about it from her _mom_.

"Nabiki also explained to me that the Headmaster went to great lengths to alter Ryouga's memories so that he would like you. That his story of meeting you in China and falling in love didn't happen, not with you at any rate, but with the Titan, Raven," continued the concerned Tendo.

Jinx felt tinier than she had ever felt before. She _really_ didn't need to be reminded of all that stuff. The cat eyed girl wasn't sure she would be able to handle it if Kasumi turned on her here and now.

"I just wanted to ask you one thing, Jinx. What are your intentions towards Ryouga? Are you just pretending to like him because the Headmaster told you to, or do you actually have feelings for him?" asked the eldest Tendo. Jinx's head shot up as she stared at the older girl in disbelief.

"How can you even _ask_ me that? Of _course_ , I love him! Do you think I would be tearing myself up like this if I didn't? I almost wish that I _didn't_! This would be so much _easier_!" she shot back, fire in her voice.

Kasumi tilted her head to the side, apparently concerned at her outburst. "But you know that it's not real, don't you?" she asked calmly. "All of his feelings for you are actually his feelings for Raven..."

"How do you know that?" she shouted back. "Ryouga only knew Raven for a few weeks; he's been with me for _months_! Who's to say that all his feelings are for that uptight _Titan_? Is it so hard to believe that maybe, just _maybe_ , he's actually started to like me for who I am after all this time!" she cried desperately. The boy could hardly even remember his time in China as much more than a blur lately, what's to say that any of his feelings were still of Raven?

Kasumi shook her head sadly. "Even if that was true, don't you think that it's selfish of you to stand between Ryouga and Raven like you are? Even if Ryouga does return your feelings now, it's still based on a lie, and what about Raven's feelings?"

Jinx felt her fists clench against her will. "What _about_ Raven's feelings? Just because she saw him first means that she automatically wins? Just because she's the hero of the story and I'm not, does that mean that her feelings are more important than mine?" She waved her arm angrily, pink energy dancing from her fingers.

"Does the fact that Ryouga is _happy_ with me not mean anything because he might have been happy with her _first_? Why is it that Raven's relationship with Ryouga is sacred and holy but mine is just a selfish infatuation?" she cried, her voice cracking painfully.

The older girl seemed to consider this for a moment. "But what happens if he regains his memories? What happens when he finally remembers what happened, what happened between him and Raven, what happened between him and you?" asked the Tendo, her voice filled with compassion.

"My _God,_ Kasumi. You think that I don't agonize about that every _second_ I'm awake? I've even started having nightmares of that exact thing, of Ryouga gaining back his memories and screaming how much he hates me! I've wanted to tell him for _days_ now, to just tell him everything, but it's gone too far now, there's no way that he could forgive me for what I've done!” she wailed plaintively, “That's why I _can't_ tell him, I don't think I could stand to hear those terrible words from his lips. The worst part is that I _know_ it's inevitable, I know that it's going to happen and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it."

Slowly she dropped to her knees, drowning in her own despair.

Jinx nearly recoiled as she felt a pair of arms encircle her and pull her into a tender hug. She looked up uncertainly to see Kasumi holding her tightly, unshed tears in her eyes and an ironic smile on her lips.

"Oh my, how do you children get yourselves into these tangled situations? Don't worry too much; I think you may be surprised just how much Ryouga could sympathize with your situation," whispered the sweet young woman.

Almost against her will, Jinx buried her face into Kasumi's shoulder, even as the older girl gently rubbed her back. Hot tears burned in her eyes but were quickly absorbed by the smooth material of Kasumi's dress.

* * *

Gizmo grumbled quietly to himself as he heard his lab door open again unbidden. There was only one person that could enter the lab at will like that, and he already knew what she wanted. Luckily, he had thought of a suitable method of deployment. Nothing a highly focused laser drill and a micro transmitter couldn't handle. He swung around on his stool to face the mercenary queen.

"So, do you have a way in, Gizmo?" she asked calmly. He nodded, tired after his long hours of work, heck he _still_ hadn't slept since his run in with Cyborg either.

"I can do it, it'll be audio only and won't last long, but it should work," he replied.

Nabiki smiled. "Audio only? Heh, I guess that hardly matters considering what Mousse did. Alright, let's go do this," she ordered.

Gizmo grumbled again, no rest for the wicked.

* * *

Raven awoke with a start, whipping her head around left and right. It was still pitch black, even though her eyes were open. She let out a sad sigh; obviously, her sight had yet to return. Even on lock-down, the tower would still have enough minor illumination to make it safe to walk around.

Something tugged at her perception. She couldn't see anything, but something startled her awake, something just on the edge of her senses. Slowly she extended her aura until it filled the entire room, slowly letting the area around her come into focus as her dark energy interacted with the latent chi that saturated all of the inanimate objects around her.

There! On the heavy blast shield that covered the central window. In the very center of the shield there was a very tiny, but extremely powerful buildup of energy. A second later a tiny hole appeared in the metal then the energy buildup began to fade. What could that mean? Someone had obviously used a massively powerful energy weapon to cut through the blast door, but the hole was so small that... wait a moment.

She had almost missed it, but something tiny, very tiny, flew through the miniature aperture and landed on the ground. Hesitantly she floated over to see what it was. Unfortunately, she couldn't see what it was, and her rudimentary aura sight didn't give her any clues as to what the miniscule object was.

"Heat signature detected, begin playback." The voice, which was at a normal speaking level, shocked Raven so much that she fell back to the ground. That tiny device, it was transmitter. But to get that much volume from such a small device? It seemed so strange to her.

"Hello, Raven, I'm sure you still remember my voice, but in case you forgot, my name is Nabiki. I just wanted to congratulate you on your narrow escape once more, and to inform you that your own capture is imminent. Whenever I get around to it, I mean, it's not exactly like a blind little girl like yourself is of any real concern to me.”

Raven rolled her eyes in an empty gesture.

“I thought it would be responsible of me to ask that you not bother contacting any of your superhero friends, either. It would be unfortunate for them to be targeted as well because of you, and it's not like they could help you anyway. So, it'd probably be for the best if you just surrendered yourself peacefully. You're in no condition to fight and even if you were, there's no way you could stand against the Hive by yourself. After all, we have people like Ryouga on our side; I doubt there's anyone on this entire hemisphere that could beat him.”

That was an odd way to boast about it, Raven mused as the recording continued.

“Heck the only person I know that could beat him was my younger sister's fiancée and he's a _world_ away. But enough mindless chatter, now you be a good blind girl and wait where you are. I'll send some people by to pick you up in a few days. Oh, by the way, have a _pleasant_ day!" The recording finally finished, and the small device burst into a tiny spark of flame.

The dark Titan floated back and flopped onto the nearby couch. That insufferable woman! How dare she mock her like that? And to make light of her blindness as well, did that girl have no shame whatsoever? And then she went and made it worse by reminder her that the Hive academy still had Ryouga in their control and would use him against her.

What _would_ she do, then? Mousse had nearly killed her himself, could she stand up to him and Ryouga at the same time? Somehow, she doubted that, and that didn't even count the other dozen or so student's that the Academy likely housed as well. She slumped back into the cushions morosely.

Speedy, Aqualad... those were the only two other heroes that she had any experience with. But even if she did contact them, would they really be able to help her turn the tide? It seemed unlikely. She couldn't see either of the two boys matching skills with Ryouga, heck, could anyone beat Ryouga... other than that fiancée that Nabiki had mentioned...?

Wait a second... The gears in Raven's head started to spin furiously, as suddenly pieces started clicking into place in her shocked mind.

Nabiki knew Ryouga, which meant that she was the Nabiki that the Lost Boy had told them about back in China.

And her younger sister was named Akane; Raven knew that name well considering Ryouga's feelings for the girl.

And if she recalled, Akane's fiancé was Ranma. Ryouga had mentioned that name more than any other, more than he even mentioned Akane.

And Ranma as also married to a girl named Shampoo by Amazon law, and Shampoo knew Mousse. But more importantly, Shampoo was the great granddaughter of Cologne!

 ** _Cologne_**!

Why hadn't she thought of that _sooner_? Robin had given the old Matriarch a _communicator_ back when they had left China, just in case the Amazons had needed their assistance. She smacked a palm to her face in frustration. Cologne was _more_ than formidable herself, and if anyone could contact Ryouga's old friends back in Japan, it would be her!

Wait another second. Something screamed at her as feeling strange. Why on earth had Nabiki mentioned that? The girl had struck her as being extremely witty and intelligent, not a loose lipped chatterbox. And yet the young villainess had nearly spelt it out for her. Don't bother calling your superhero friends; no one on this hemisphere can help you, only my sister's fiancée could beat Ryouga. Sheesh apparently the middle Tendo girl wasn't nearly as clever as she thought she was, maybe the young woman was starting to catch that strange condition that caused evil masterminds to become supremely over confident and feel the need to gloat incessantly about all of their plans?

Whatever the cause, Raven knew what she had to do now. She quickly pulled her communicator from her belt and flipped it open. She keyed in the frequency for the communicator and hit the activation button. She heard the telltale sound of the device turning on and the channel opening, but she couldn't see if anyone's picture had popped up.

Wait a moment, it was still ringing.

Beep-beep

Beep-beep

Beep-beep

Beep-beep. Raven was starting to feel her hope dwindling. Had the old Ghoul lost the device, or forgotten it somewhere?

Beep-beep

Beep-beep. With a sigh, she started to close the device.

Bee- click!

"Oh ho! So _that's_ what that incessant beeping was! Ha! I had nearly forgotten I had this thing. Now let's see, how does this thing work again? Oh yes, I see you now, Raven... _Raven_ , what happened to you! Your _eyes_!" came the elder's calming yet somewhat distressed voice.

"There's no time for that, Elder Cologne. I need your help _desperately_ , terrible things have been happening here, all of my teammates have already been captured!" she explained, not quite coherently.

"Whoa, _that's_ the girl you said that Ryouga liked? She's pretty _cute_!" came an unfamiliar male voice from the communicator.

"What was _that,_ Ranchan?" "You perverted _jerk_!" "Airen _no flirt_ with strange girl!" came a flurry of angry female voices quickly afterwards, followed just as quickly by the muted sounds of violence.

Cologne's voice cut through the noise. "You need our help? Well then you have a fortuitous coincidence on your hands, for we are already en route to your very city!" crowed the old woman.

Raven nearly swooned; they were already on their way? There was _no way_ that could be a coincidence! Again, the old woman's voice cut through the noisy background.

"Now, girl, tell me _everything_ that has happened since you left the Amazon village."

* * *

The next several days passed quickly for the Headmaster. He had been grading student performances frantically; the data from their latest test had been impressive to say the least. Things were going better than he could have ever hoped. Ryouga's initial enrollment and Nabiki's subsequent plans had catapulted his prized Academy months if not years ahead of his once projected timetable.

Already four of the five Titans were captured, only the dark Raven was left to go. He wasn't sure _what_ he was going to do with the Titans after Nabiki had captured them all. Perhaps he would simply destroy them, or perhaps convert them into future students as well. Frankly at the moment he couldn't care less, he was just so pleased with how things had been progressing as of late.

Idly he turned to face the large monitor set up beside his desk. Ah yes, the students were finally in position. Nabiki had sent Mammoth, See-more and Kyd Wykkyd to collect the wayward Titan. She hadn't been overly motivated to capture the last Titan, saying that the blind girl wasn't a threat, but the Headmaster had finally decided there was no longer a reason to delay the girl's capture.

He watched smugly as the massive orange haired teen ran forward and started to smash open the heavy lobby doors of the Tower even as See-more used his force field to protect them from the buildings automated defense cannons. The heavy reverberations of Mammoth's fists plowing into the steel doors were quite satisfying. And the Headmaster always loved the sound of laser fire.

After several well-placed punches, the heavy blast doors finally gave way, and the trio ran into the tower. Unfortunately, the aerial cameras couldn't get close enough to the tower to enter it without being destroyed by the automated lasers. It would likely be several minutes before he saw any activity from within the –

The sounds of bone crushing violence flowed out of the tower.

Mammoth careened out of the massive hole that was once a door, landing in a crumpled heap some dozen meters outside the tower. The massive boy's form was soon followed by the smaller forms of See-more and Kyd Wykkyd, both colliding painfully with the larger boy.

What had _happened_? There was _no way_ that the lone Titan could have overpowered the three students by herself! And certainly not if she was _blinded_ as Mousse had claimed she was! Frantically he zoomed in on the entrance of the building, trying to get a glimpse of what might have happened in the building. His unasked question was soon answered.

Another figure exited the tower, this one walking confidently and whistling a tune. This new figure was a boy, wearing a Chinese style red shirt and a pair of loose black pants. Other than that, the boy had stony blue eyes and wore his hair in a tight braid at the back of his neck.

Then, somehow, and the Headmaster wasn't certain _how_ , the boy looked directly into the aerial camera through which he was watching... and waved jauntily! The boy then spoke loudly and clearly.

"Konnichiwa!"


	17. The End… But not that one…: Part 1

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

As always, enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Beep-beep

Beep-beep

Beep-beep

Beep-beep. Raven was starting to feel her hope dwindling. Had the old Ghoul lost the device, or forgotten it somewhere?

Beep-beep

Beep-beep. With a sigh, she started to close the device.

Bee- click!

"Oh ho! So _that's_ what that incessant beeping was! Ha! I had nearly forgotten I had this thing. Now let's see, how does this thing work again? Oh yes, I see you now, Raven... _Raven_ , what happened to you? Your _eyes_!" came the elder's calming yet somewhat distressed voice.

"There's no time for that, Elder Cologne. I need your help _desperately_ , terrible things have been happening here, all of my teammates have already been captured!" she explained, not quite coherently.

"Whoa, _that's_ the girl you said that Ryouga liked? She's pretty _cute_!" came an unfamiliar male voice from the communicator.

"What was _that,_ Ranchan?" "You perverted _jerk_!" "Airen _no flirt_ with strange girl!" came a flurry of angry female voices quickly afterwards, followed just as quickly by the muted sounds of violence.

Cologne's voice cut through the noise. "You need our help? Well then you have a fortuitous coincidence on your hands, for we are already en route to your very city!" crowed the old woman.

Raven nearly swooned; they were already on their way? There was _no way_ that could be a coincidence! Again, the old woman's voice cut through the noisy background.

"Now, girl, tell me _everything_ that has happened since you left the Amazon village," rasped the wizened old woman.

The dark-haired Titan shook her head in disbelief. "Wait a moment! What do you mean that you're already on your way here? Why are you coming to Jump City?" she asked, still astonished.

"We too have had our share of tragedy as of late, and I do not believe that our troubles are unrelated. You say that your friends have been captured, so too have several of my son-in-law's companions been abducted. Stranger yet, two of the people taken were taken by our mutual friend, Ryouga, as well as another girl; a girl with striking pink hair," explained the Amazon Matriarch.

Raven's fist tightened around her communicator until her knuckles whitened.

" _Jinx_ ," she hissed furiously.

"Indeed, Ranma here managed to find a connection between this Jinx and your fair city, hence why we are already in-flight. That is not all, either; there is a larger scheme afoot here, only we are not sure who is orchestrating it. But we should not speak of such things like this, we will speak more of it when we meet," said the ancient master. "Now, tell me everything that has happened so far in your city, so that I might start to piece this puzzle together."

Slowly the violet haired Titan leaned back into the couch and let out a long sigh. She wasn't really in the mood to relive all the trauma that she had endured over the past week or two, but then it wasn't like she had anything else to do. Hmm, well actually, she could really use a bath, not to mention a first aid kit and a tailor. The poor couch, it probably had a few gross new stains now.

Still, it was nice to hear another human being after being alone in the blackness for so long, even if it _was_ Cologne.

"Well, it's a long story, but considering what movies they usually show on planes, I'm sure you won't mind."

* * *

After several minutes of dragging his irate companion, and being followed by his relatively indifferent companion, Kunou finally sighed in relief as he found the cafeteria. Despite the room's odious malefactions that were supposedly foodstuffs, it was as good a place to converse as any. Slowly he turned to face his Nubian companion, finally listening to what she was ranting about.

"What's the big idea draggin me all over the Academy, Stick-boy? You gotta _lotta_ nerve pullin a stunt like that! And what's the deal with you apologizing to Duck boy back there? I was just about to give him a piece of my _mind_ for wrecking the pool table!" his companion nearly yelled while making wild hand gestures and swinging her arms around angrily. It seemed obvious that she was unhappy with what he had done.

Kunou shook his head suddenly, coming back to his senses; the girl had been going on like that from nearly the moment he removed her from the room until just now when they had stopped in the cafeteria. He admonished himself; he had almost started to tune her out again, but that would be extremely rude and unfitting of a gentleman such as himself. But really... would she ever shut up?

A sudden thought entered his noble mind. Is that what _he_ sounded like when he recited his dramatic and well thought out monologues?

A sudden shudder ran down his spine. Mayhaps he hoped _not_!

Oops, he had zoned out for a moment there, but he was back now. Time to silence the young woman... but how. Hmmm, the direct approach? He shrugged to himself, it always worked before.

"Silence, Woman! Cease thy prattling so that I may explain myself to you!" he orated loudly and clearly, puffing out his chest in manly fashion to cow his companion.

…Then instantly cringed at the glare she directed his way. To his side he saw the lovely Angel hold up a hand to cover the large smile that had bloomed on her ruby lips. Then Bumble Bee raised a hand and waved a single finger back and forth while jabbing him harshly in the chest with her other hand.

"Oh no, you _did not_ just _'Silence Woman_ ' me!" she started, her voice rising to alarming levels. Also, her delicate feminine arms held a surprising amount of strength, each poke to his chest stinging mightily and pushing him back several inches.

"'Cease thy _prattling'_? Mr. Kendo, who on this God given Earth do you _think_ you are? There is not a man _alive_ that tells me what to do!" she continued hotly. By now Kunou was approaching the center of the room, back peddling just to stay out of reach of that damnable finger of hers.

"And apologizing for me to your buddy back there, _like_ I _had_ anything to apologize for! I think you had better explain yourself before I stick my Stinger so far up _somewhere_ that you'll need your sword just to wedge it out!" she threatened angrily, brandishing one of the golden B-shaped weapons threateningly beneath his nose.

Now Kunou was no stranger to female fury, his pig tailed goddess meted out divine wrath on an almost daily schedule, but the tongue lashing he was receiving now was like none he had ever faced before! So overcome by her verbal attack was he, that he couldn't even compose a fitting sonnet to rationalize his actions. Instead he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I was stopping you from getting yourself _killed_!" he shouted desperately. He watched as his attacker pulled up short at that, a confused look on her face. Angel too shared the confused mask. Whether from his statement, or just from how he had stated it, he wasn't sure. Taking advantage of their momentary lapse, he coughed politely and straightened himself out.

" _Ah-ehm_. What I _meant_ to say, was that I was concerned for your welfare and did not wish to see harm come to you. My noble Amazonian companion, Mousse, is a deadly and cunning opponent. And you had nearly, though unwittingly, called his wrath down upon you," he explained as eloquently as possible. It seemed to be working, as both girls were now looking at him calmly, waiting for him to finish his explanation.

"Though I do not contend to possess intimate knowledge of my colleague, I have come to know many of his moods over the time we have known each other. After viewing the battle which pitted the Amazon against the Demon, it was clear to me that Mousse was fighting with a lethal intent that I have rarely seen him exhibit back in Nerima," he continued.

Angel shrugged her graceful shoulders, the magnificent wings that adorned her back moving slightly in tandem. "He was pretty rough, but what does that have to do with him tearing up the pool table?" she asked. Bumble Bee nodded in agreement.

"Several pieces of a puzzle have come together before me concerning my cohort since he has returned. His bloodthirsty nature in the fight. His distraught actions in the recreation room. And finally, the fact that he has taken to wearing robes of ebon darkness. There is only one thing that I believe would make him act in such a way, and if that event has come to pass..." he trailed off meaningfully. "Then anyone that crosses him is certain to meet their end, for Mousse no longer possesses a reason to live; and that makes him the most dangerous man in this entire city."

The dark-skinned girl raised her hands questioningly. "But what would drive him over the edge like that? What could have possibly happened that would make him give up on life?" she asked fervently.

What indeed? The young Kendo master fervently hoped that he was incorrect in his assumptions, but considering his comrade's actions of late... It seemed that Shampoo had met her end. He only hoped that she had been granted a warrior's death as she would have wanted.

Kunou nodded dramatically. "What drives _any_ man to the greatest of heights or the darkest of depths? The answer is _love_ , my most worthy classmate. Mousse is a man driven by his passions. To see him is such a state leads me to one most tragic conclusion."

He wasn't sure how he felt about it himself. He scarcely ever spoke to the girl and she was one of the many maidens enthralled by the foul Saotome. Still... she had been a familiar face and a kindred spirit over the past years. He would miss her in his own way and mourn her passing, but true vengeance belonged to Mousse and Mousse alone.

"His one true love has fallen at the hands of our enemies!"

* * *

Ranma flopped back into his seat restlessly. He had never experienced flying on a plane before, and frankly the prospect of being cooped up in the - admittedly comfortable - seat for the ten plus hours the flight didn't exactly thrill him. And what was wrong with these people, anyway? If he wanted to, he could probably tear a hole in the hull of the damn plane with his bare hands, and yet they wouldn't even let him bring a nail clipper? What was he gonna do with that, perfect the _Pedicure of the Fierce Tiger_? It was just a good thing they didn't look under Shampoo's clothes; he was fairly sure the sword and those _Chui_ she managed to carry everywhere would have raised a few eyebrows.

Heh, maybe if he were lucky some crazy guy with a plastic spoon would jump up and threaten the passengers. At least that way he could give everyone some in-flight entertainment.

At least Cologne's conversation with that Raven chick had been entertaining, a little freaky, but way better than the in-flight movie, that was for sure. On that note, _Rwwor_! That Raven was not too hard on the eyes at all! Ryouga, that sly dog! While Ranma had been stuck back in Nerima fending off his fiancées and avoiding his rivals and all around dying of boredom, that jerk had been out adventuring with butt kicking superheroes, fighting super powered villains, training in the Amazon village and falling for an exotically cute girl!

And to think that Ranma had started to _worry_ about him, too! Well that was the _last_ time that he let Ryouga wander off by himself. If the Lost Boy was going to start having _this_ much fun every time he wandered off, there was _no way_ the pigtailed youth wanted to miss out. Heck, it sounded like this last little trip had been surprisingly good for Ryouga, and if what Cologne told him was true, somehow his itinerate friend had even mastered the Soul of Ice! If there were two things that were as incompatible as Ryouga and the Soul of Ice, well they deserved a friggin medal for bein the most unlikely thing that Ranma would _ever_ hear of.

Oh sure, there was the whole turning evil thing and kidnapping Kasumi, Nabiki, Kunou and Mousse... not that he really missed the last three at all. But really, that kinda thing happened in Nerima from time to time. Secretly, he figured it was just Ryouga's way of bringing him in on the fun.

Now he got to go to America, probably beat up a bunch of random goons like in some action movie, and then have an old school climactic fight with his main martial arts rival. That was one of his favorite things about the Lost Boy. Whenever the guy learned a new technique or found some cool map or had some interesting problem, he'd _always_ come to him first. The raid on the girl's locker room, removing the Mark of the Gods, defeating the Shi Shi Houkodan... yeah, Ryouga always came along with something that brought a little more excitement and adventure into his life.

He shook his head ruefully. Heh, it was a nice thought, but it didn't seem likely. Ranma couldn't say it about very many people at all, but he _knew_ Ryouga Hibiki. If even _half_ of what Cologne had said went on between Ryouga and that Raven girl had been true, then the Lost Boy had been falling for her, and hard. But then to suddenly show up a few weeks later suddenly claiming to be engaged to someone else and then kidnapping people? Not even Ryouga was _that_ fickle... Kunou maybe, but not Ryouga. And all of Cologne's tales had been at direct odds to what Ryouga had told his dad and Mr. Tendo.

The blue-eyed martial artist glanced a few seats ahead of him where Konatsu was seated happily next to Ukyou. The kunoichi had mentioned back in Nerima that it was possible that their friends might not be in their right minds... well more so than usual, anyway. The Lost Boy might have a few screws loose, but Ranma knew how loyal he was to those he considered his friends. And yet Raven had just told them how Ryouga had not only abandoned them, but he had also already attacked them on three separate occasions! Violent tendencies or not, Ranma just didn't see his rival attacking his own friends like that of his own volition.

That brought his train of thought full circle to the pale skinned girl he had seen in the tiny devices screen. The girl had been in bad shape, but he kept seeing her eyes, blood shot and staring vacantly into his own. She had told them of her own recent encounter with a certain Hidden Weapons Master. He felt his blood boil at that. Mousse had _blinded_ the girl! Not only that, but he had also brutally beaten her, nearly killed her if what Raven said was true!

Sure, Mousse was a little more prone to underhanded tricks than most of the people he knew, but Ranma thought that he had had _some_ honor. It just brought him back to the same idea that perhaps Mousse wasn't in control of himself, either.

He sighed loudly as he tapped his fingers against the armrest of his seat. His glance traveled a little nervously over his companions. Ranma wasn't worried about himself, he knew that he could handle anything that was thrown at him... but his companions he wasn't so sure about. Ryouga, Mousse and Kunou, not to mention the people that had been good enough to capture the blind boy and the kendoist in the first place, it seemed like a formidable array of opponents.

A shudder ran down his spine. Worst of all, they had Nabiki organizing them. If ever there was a worst-case scenario, that was it right there. Nabiki the villainous mastermind, it was enough to make his blood run cold. And yet something strange was going on, Nabiki had sent them tickets to go to Jump city. Nabiki had also tipped off Raven to contact Cologne. It was _supposedly_ an accident, but Ranma knew her too well to think she would make a slip like that unless it was on purpose. The only question he could really ask himself was what her reason for bringing them there was. Did she want them to save her, or did she want a chance to capture the rest of them?

Bah, whatever, all this thinking stuff wasn't solving anything. When they got there, he'd just beat up everyone that got in his way until everything was back to normal. Then everyone could go home. It seemed simple enough, which was why he liked it.

After all, he was Ranma Saotome, and he was the best there was.

Hmm, _Pedicure of the Fierce Tiger_... now, how would he go about that?

* * *

Ryouga leapt back to avoid another of Mousse's razor-edged implements. Even before he landed a quick inspection revealed a new slash in his favorite shirt. Obviously, his dodge hadn't been quite fast enough. His near-sighted friend had led them here only a few minutes ago and almost immediately they had begun trading blows at a furious rate.

Quickly he flipped to the side even as he snatched a handful of bandannas from his brow and sent the pieces of cloth whirring erratically towards his opponent. He raised an eyebrow in interest as the long-haired martial artist calmly dodged and twisted around the projectiles. Really, he had to give Mousse credit, the boy was fighting with a deadly new level of calm and focus. It was making this little spar more interesting.

His Chinese comrade seemed to have altered his entire fighting style somewhat since the last time Ryouga had seen him. Gone were the childish weapons, he hadn't seen a single yo-yo or training potty the entire battle. Everything that flew from the taller boy's sleeves was a deadly implement and Mousse was using them to their full extent. Perhaps the Hidden Weapons Master had finally decided to take his style to a more serious level.

A chain shot out of Mousse's sleeve, rather than dodge, the Lost Boy shot out his arm and snagged the offending piece of metal from the air. He then pulled on the chain with all his strength... only to nearly fall over himself as the chain suddenly detached itself from the other boy's sleeve! As it was, he had to scramble madly to avoid the ensuing hail of weapons the Chinese boy launched while he was distracted.

"Heh, nice move Mousse, got tired of people yanking your chain eh?" he chuckled lightly to himself. Mousse nodded, a serious look still etched on his face.

"I must remove _all_ weaknesses from my style if I can hope to defeat the demon," he stated in a low voice.

Hmm, his friend seemed unusually serious. And why was he so set on defeating Raven? Sure, the girl had beaten the weapons master, but these Titans were formidable foes, he had only stalemated with Starfire himself. There was no shame in losing to such a powerful opponent, but Mousse's demeanor seemed to suggest more than simply improving himself for a rematch. And the whole wearing black thing... it was starting to give Ryouga a slightly ominous feeling, like something wasn't quite right but that things were too messed up in his own head right now to put a finger on it.

The Lost Boy was just about to break down and ask the blind boy just what was bothering him when –

"So, you're still up, eh Lost Boy? You in the mood for another beat down?" sounded Mammoth's booming voice as the enormous teen entered the training area. Mousse and Ryouga both turned to regard the new arrival. The large villain seemed to be in a rather sour mood. He probably just wanted to vent after what happened to Kasumi earlier, not that Ryouga could blame him.

Mousse turned to face him, a knowing smirk forming on the boy's face. "Is this person serious? Does he think he can face a master of the martial arts and hope to win?" he asked.

The fanged warrior smiled. "Don't worry about Mammoth. We do this everyday, and if he can do anything, it's take a beating." He then turned to face the orange haired giant. "What do you say Mammoth, how about a free for all? We all need to blow off some steam."

Mammoth nodded grimly. "Heh, sounds good to me! We've fought everyday since you've been here, and you haven't knocked me out yet. But I'll try not to hit you _too_ hard tonight, Lost Boy."

Ryouga could only smirk at the other boy's comment and crack his knuckles ominously.

"Mammoth, the only times you hit me, are the times when I _let_ you."

And about fifteen minutes later, the gymnasium was completely destroyed.

* * *

Jinx sniffed once again; her tear stained face nestled comfortably into the eldest Tendo's shoulder. She had been doing this a lot lately, she thought to herself ruefully. She then looked up questioningly as she felt Kasumi gently push her away to look into her eyes.

"Jinx, no matter what happens between you and Ryouga... I just wanted to thank you. You've made him incredibly happy for the past several weeks and that is a rare thing. I also wanted to apologize for accusing you of using him, you have done _nothing_ but show him kindness and compassion for as long as I have known you," admitted the older girl. Kasumi then pulled her in for another tender hug before pushing her away again.

"I have come to think of many of the students here as my friends, yourself included. And... for what it matters... I hope that you and Ryouga can continue to be happy together. I also wanted you to know that no matter what happens, that you will always be welcome in my household," finished the wonderfully kind young woman.

Jinx didn't even know what to say to that, she could only stare in wonder at the beautiful young woman that was holding her. No one had ever made such an amazing offer to her before. After everything she had done... she wasn't even sure that she deserved what the older girl was offering. It felt strangely reassuring to know that no matter what happened, that there would still be someone that cared about her and would welcome her.

So, she did the only thing she could think of in her unique new situation.

" _Thank you so **much**_!" she wailed at the top of her lungs and wrapped her arms tightly around Kasumi while burying her face in the girl’s shoulder again.

She felt Kasumi run a soothing hand through her hair even as she whispered quietly so that only the pink haired sorceress could hear. "Oh Jinx, you deserve _so_ much more than this life can ever give you."

And perhaps for the first time in a long, long time, Jinx believed that might be true.

* * *

Cologne was jolted awake as the plane finally touched down, the afternoon light just beginning to make itself known through the nearby window. She was a little surprised that she had fallen asleep, it was only a ten-hour flight, and if anyone could occupy themselves for such a short amount of time, it was her.

Of course, not too long after her conversation with Raven, they had started playing Legally Blonde (ugh, the dark oblivion of sleep had been infinitely more appealing than that artistic apocalypse). Now if it had been a movie like Hero, with that strapping young Jet Li, or a CSI marathon, heh well that would have been completely different.

The aged Matriarch stretched mightily and looked around at her companions. The young kunoichi was already awake and nearly finished applying his make-up. Particularly good technique that boy had, after all, make up was important. A little unfortunate about the gender crisis, but at least he had the right idea about which sex was preferable.

All around her the rest of the girls were just starting to awaken themselves; stretching and yawning languidly in their seats. Kodachi, Shampoo, Ukyou and Akane all appeared to have gotten a decent night's sleep, although Ukyou was still muttering about not getting to take advantage of the free drinks, considering they were in first class. Such were the tragedies of youth, Cologne herself had enjoyed a glass or two of some rather nice wine to help her get to sleep. Yes she'd definitely have to thank Nabiki for bumping them up from economy.

Predictably, her future son-in-law was still sleeping as soundly as a hibernating panda. How someone with such an amazing sense for danger could sleep so deeply, she had no idea. Unfortunately for the boy, he was seated next to the youngest Tendo girl, so it was rather obvious what was going to happen soon enough. She could almost hear the _'what'd you do that for, Akane?'_.

Still, it was time to get to business. She pulled the small circular device from the folds of her robe and opened the strange machine. Luckily, it was simple enough to use, as talented as she was at the martial arts, her television remote was about as far as she had delved into the world of technology. And not even Mousse had been able to stop the accursed VCR from flashing ‘12:00’ all hours of the day. The small communicator beeped for several moments, reminding her very much of a tiny telephone, until finally Raven responded.

The aged Matriarch nearly cringed at the sight that greeted her, a morning person Raven was _not_. The youth's eyes were blood red and nearly rimmed with crust. Her hair was stringy and sticking up wildly from where she had been sleeping on it. There were also several bloodstains still running down her chin which had dried in a rather unflattering way. It seemed the young woman had been unable to find the bath that day; in fact, she still appeared to by lying on the same couch from where she last spoke with Cologne.

A rather odd thought came to the ancient Amazon at the sight. She certainly hoped that, if they got involved, Ryouga married the girl before he spent the night with her. Lest _this_ sight shock him out of the relationship.

She shook her head at that, glad the young hero on the other end of the device couldn't see her reactions. On a side note, she silently nodded to the stewardess that offered her a coffee to drink while they waited for the plane to come to a stop so they could disembark. After a few moments of watching the bleary-eyed girl blink groggily, she finally heard the girl speak up.

" _Uhm, mmm_... Cologne? What time is it?" she groaned quietly, gently rubbing a palm against her forehead, apparently fighting off a headache.

Cologne smiled inwardly again; it was always so amusing to see the unusually talented and powerful people around her at their most unawares. Little moments like this always reminded you that no matter how much godlike power these children might seem to possess, they were still human and still hated to get up before the sun like the rest of humanity.

"It is nearly five in the afternoon by your time, though it is somewhat closer to eight in the morning by our time. I just wanted to inform you that our plane is landing now and that we shall begin making our way to your tower," she explained succinctly.

The young Titan shook her head again, then winced, obviously regretting her minor action. "N-no... no that's not a good idea. They likely have the entire tower under surveillance. If you just walk up to the front door, they'll know you're here, they might even have time to attack before you get across the bridge," muttered the normally violet eyed girl.

The matriarch raised an eyebrow... then lowered it realizing it wouldn't help. "I assume you have an alternative then?" she inquired.

The girl nodded. "There's a hidden entrance on the mainland, it'll mean a lot more walking, but you can get into the tower completely unnoticed. I'll send you the location and the password through the communicator." She then let out a long sigh. "And I think I need to find my room and then the bathroom in short order, hopefully I'll be ready before you arrive." With that Raven signed off and the tiny view screen went blank.

A loud splash sounded from behind her quickly followed by "What'd ya do _that_ for, Akane?" in a high pitched and highly annoyed voice.

"Well, if you'd just _wake up_ like a normal person, I wouldn't have to do that all of the time Ranma!" countered an equally annoyed though not quite as high-pitched voice.

Cologne sighed loudly; she didn't really feel like spending all night in customs trying to explain the finer points of the Jusenkyo curse to the airport staff. Especially considering just how paranoid the American security people were after all that nasty business years ago. So, after looking longingly at the caffeinated and tasty look drink before her, she tossed it idly over her shoulder into the seat behind her.

" _Yeeoowch!_ " screamed a much lower pitched and much more pained voice.

She had really wanted to drink that coffee, too. Such was the price of war, it seemed.

* * *

Raven stretched as much as her sore body and throbbing head would allow. Nearly five in the afternoon? Not like she could tell; even if she could see, the entire building was still on lock down and probably completely dark, anyway. Apprehensively she lifted her arm a bit and sniffed tentatively. She recoiled violently from her own less than desirable scent a second later. Oh yes, she _definitely_ needed a shower, or better yet, a good long soak.

Slowly she started to expand her aura into the room around her, letting it fill all the space that surrounded her.

And let out a disappointed sigh. This building was nothing like the ancient wooden structure back in China. This building was too new and too artificial; it was practically sterile compared to that homey old hut back in the Amazon village. It was a good thing that she could pretty much move around the building by memory, because the ambient chi in this building was practically nonexistent... well except for the well worn groove on the couch that was practically saturated with Beast Boy's wild energy.

' _Ewwwww_.' Butt chi, she hadn't needed to see that.

Determined to both get that disturbing concept out of her mind and finally clean herself up, Raven floated over the elevator and pushed the button that she really hoped took her to the floor with her room on it... because if it didn't, than this was going to be a long and annoying afternoon.

* * *

Even though the sun had long since set, Ranma didn't have any trouble leading his motley crew to the hidden entrance that Raven had told them about. After brushing away the sparse amount of foliage that had grown over the metallic door, it seemed like a good bet that this was the right one, judging by the large 'T' in the center of the door and the high-tech keypad at the side of it. After examining the door for a moment, he then took Cologne's small yellow walkie-talkie and held it in front of said keypad. Several seconds later a green light appeared on the panel and with a loud hiss the door slid open.

"Keyless entry, that's nice. I wonder if they could install that in my restaurant," whispered Ukyou somewhere behind him; it was quickly followed by a few good-natured giggles.

At that he looked down to the shrunken old Ghoul at his side and shrugged absently before he started to walk down the tunnel. Conveniently enough the tunnel started to light up as they traveled down its length, which was good since he didn't really want to wander around in complete darkness. Especially considering how many stairs there were, it looked like this tunnel either ran under or along the bottom of the bay. It looked like they had a lot of downward distance to cover.

The walk passed in a tense kind of silence. Only the dull humming of the long lights intermingled with the staccato dripping of water here and there. It wasn't enough to trigger anyone's curses, but still enough to put him on edge. Not to mention that it continually reminded him that there was an entire ocean sitting above his head. It was a good thing he wasn't claustrophobic. While drowning had never been on his list of favorite things, ever since he was cursed, it had since become a secret nightmare to die in the cold depths, trapped in his female body.

He shuddered lightly but kept up his pace. Idly, the martial artist looked over his shoulder to check on his companions. Judging by the look on Shampoo's face, she might have been having thoughts along the same line as his own. Konatsu still looked happy just at being near Ukyou but didn't look like he was going to say anything. As for the rest of the girls, asides from Ukyou's joke at the entrance, they weren't really friends at the best of times; it wasn't a surprise they didn't have much to say.

It was too bad really; sometimes he wished that everyone he knew could be friends. Sure, there'd be less fighting... but to be able to just hang out and talk from time to time? It'd be nice to see how the rest of the world lived, if just for a little bit.

After what seemed like hours, but was likely much less, they finally began to ascend once more. Every step lifted a bit of the ominous feeling of being surrounded by thousands of tons of icy water. Eventually they reached the end of their journey, in the distance ahead of them, the tunnel they were walking down ended. A heavy metal hatch sat squarely in ceiling above their heads. This bulky bulkhead was also electronically locked and just as easily opened as the first door.

As soon as the green light appeared, Ranma gave the hatch a gentle push to flip it up and open, and then leapt up into the room above. Even before his feet touched the ground in this new room the lights were already coming on to greet him. It revealed a rather bland interior; he appeared to be standing in a large metal room with little in the way of decoration. The only other exit appeared to be another large security door. Sheesh, these people sure were paranoid about their own escape tunnels.

A little closer examination revealed that there were several areas on the walls that looked like they could slide open. Probably to deploy weapons of some sort. Hmm, yes, definitely paranoid.

Absently he heard his companions leaping up to join him but paid no real attention to it. Instead he went over to the large security door. This one didn't seem to have an obvious keypad like the other two.

"I've already unlocked the security door where you are, just push it open and the elevator is at the end of the hallway. I'm on the fourteenth floor," came a disembodied though obviously female voice.

Again, Ranma shrugged. The girl was to the point that was for sure. A short trip later and the group of seven found themselves standing uncomfortably close together in an elevator. Cleverly, Ranma managed to position Konatsu between himself and everyone else, just to make sure no ‘misunderstandings’ took place. The last thing that Raven needed to see at this point was a battle come pouring out of her elevator just as she thought the cavalry was on the way.

The elevator dinged pleasantly, signaling the end to the short ascent and the doors slid open revealing a massive room backed by a massive bay of steel covered windows. Standing in the middle of the room... no, _floating_ a few inches above the floor in the middle of the room, waiting for them, was Raven.

 _'Woah,'_ was his only thought as he strolled into the massive room. This one room was big enough to hold the entire Tendo home and Dojo together. How did _these_ guys rate a place like this? The room wasn't the only interesting thing. It looked like Raven had gotten cleaned up as well... did she wear a leotard like that all the time? Sheesh, how did Ryouga even _talk_ to this girl without getting a nosebleed and passing out?

Hmm, probably associative trauma from knowing Kodachi. It would figure that the only other person that they knew that wore a leotard all the time was a card-carrying crazy lady. There was one notable difference from before though, as she was now wearing a dark navy-blue blindfold over her eyes.

Almost immediately the girl seemed to melt with relief at the sight of them. The blindfolded and joyful Raven then flew forward and knelt to the ground before wrapping her arms around the stunned Cologne. "Thank Azar that you've come. I don't know what I would have done otherwise!" cried the stressed-out hero.

Ranma looked away, feeling a little uncomfortable around the emotional scene. Luckily, Cologne took the initiative from there. "Don't worry, young Raven, we are here, and we shall do everything we can to help you save your friends. Oh ho, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, perhaps some introductions are in order?" asked the old woman.

The violet haired Titan nodded, smiling weakly. Cologne then pointed to Shampoo, and strangely Raven turned to regard the girl. "This is my Great Granddaughter, Shampoo. She has come with us to help recover our kidnapped dishwasher," stated the old Amazon, chuckling to herself quietly.

"Shampoo no come for stupid Mousse! Shampoo only come to help Ranma fight bad men!" replied the violet haired Amazon indignantly. Raven frowned deeply at the mention of the male Amazon's name. Cologne caught on quickly enough.

"Yes, my dear, the same boy that you met so unpleasantly last night. Don't worry, I shall _'discuss'_ with him the implications of attacking one who is still technically under my personal protection," explained the old woman.

Ranma frowned at that, Cologne hadn't mentioned that part yet. And something else was bothering him, something just on the edge of his perception.

Next Cologne moved her arm to indicate Ukyou and Konatsu. "This is the young chef, Ukyou and her indentured servant, Konatsu. Konatsu's skills will be _most_ helpful in rescuing your friends," continued the aged Matriarch, artfully ignoring Ukyou's angry bark about the indentured servant comment and the dismissal of her skills. After that the chef settled for simply glaring at the old woman before turning to Raven.

"Don't worry, Sugar, we'll teach that _Jackass_ Ryouga a lesson for hurting your friends," stated the brunette as she hefted her spatula threateningly. Konatsu nodded, still smiling gently.

Ranma's eyes narrowed as he noticed Raven return the kunoichi's gesture. Something odd was going on with her. Inconspicuously he began to reach out with his chi senses, when suddenly he noticed what was going on. The dark girl's chi suffused the entire room.

Aha, so that's _how_ she was doing it, they were all surrounded by her energy. It was just spread so finely that he had hardly even noticed when he entered. Especially not compared to the incredibly powerful nature of the aura which surrounded her already. Cologne had already warned them about the demonic nature of her power, so he wasn't surprised, but using it to replace her sight, that was a good trick. He'd have to figure out how she did it sometime.

So embroiled in his thoughts, he totally missed Kodachi's and Akane's introductions... not that it mattered, he already knew them. And then Raven was facing his direction, almost but not quite staring at him through her blindfold.

"And finally, we have Ranma Saotome. Perhaps one of the greatest martial artists of his generation. If _anyone_ can bring down the enemies that stand before you, it is this boy," stated the old woman. Ranma felt himself swell up with pride, sure he _knew_ it was all true, but to have someone like Cologne say it, heh, it sure felt nice.

Raven then looked at him, a strange half smile forming on her face. "Oh, I've heard quite a lot about _you_ from Ryouga." She then left it at that and turned back to face Cologne. Ranma tugged at his collar a little nervously. He didn't need Cologne's speech to tell him how powerful this girl seemed to be, and not only did she like the Lost Boy, but she'd been learning about Ranma from _Ryouga's_ point of view? Not a good combination at all.

"Elder Cologne, we need to begin planning how to track down the Hive academy so that we can find our friends," exclaimed the young superhero.

Cologne only waved dismissively.

"There will be plenty of time for that. First thing first, let us have a look at those eyes."

* * *

Stealthily, Nabiki crept down the corridor before sliding open a door and stepping in. The only light in this room was a small digital clock revealing the time to be a little after two in the morning. She left the light off, feeling the darkness suited this clandestine meeting very well. The dull green glow of the clock gave off only enough light for her to discern the silhouettes of those already in the room. Luckily, her companions were distinct, so it didn't take too long to figure out that everyone was already present and accounted for.

"Alright people, everything is in place. I'm letting the Headmaster make the call on this one, but I know he's going to strike at Raven soon. I've already set up everything for our plan, so does everyone know what they'll be doing?" she asked seriously.

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. She had spent a long time handpicking this group of people; she knew they were loyal and competent.

And soon enough, they would be free.

* * *

The next several days had passed quite quickly for the Headmaster. He had been grading student performances frantically; the data from their latest test had been impressive, to say the least. Things were going better than he could have hoped. Ryouga's initial enrollment and Nabiki's subsequent plans had catapulted his prized Academy months, if not years ahead of his once projected timetable.

Already four of the five Titans were captured, only the dark Raven was left to go. He wasn't sure _what_ he was going to do with the Titans after Nabiki had captured them all. Perhaps he would simply destroy them or convert them into future students as well. Frankly, he couldn't care less, he was just so pleased with how things had been progressing as of late.

Idly, he turned to face the large monitor set up beside his desk. Ah yes, the students were finally in position. Nabiki had sent Mammoth, See-more and Kyd Wykkyd to collect the wayward Titan. She hadn't been overly motivated to capture the last Titan, saying that the blind girl wasn't a threat, but the Headmaster had finally decided there was no longer a reason to delay the girl's capture.

He watched smugly as the massive orange haired teen ran forward and started to smash open the heavy lobby doors of the Tower even as See-more used his force field to protect them from the buildings automated defense cannons. The heavy reverberations of Mammoth's fists plowing into the steel doors were quite satisfying. And the Headmaster always loved the sound of laser fire.

After several well-placed punches, the heavy blast doors finally gave way, and the trio ran into the tower. Unfortunately, the aerial cameras couldn't get close enough to the tower to enter it without being destroyed by the automated lasers. It would likely be several minutes before he saw any activity from within the –

Suddenly the sounds of bone crushing violence flowed out of the tower.

Mammoth flew out of the massive hole that was once a door, landing in a crumpled heap some dozen meters outside the tower. The massive boy's form was soon followed by the smaller forms of See-more and Kyd Wykkyd, both colliding painfully with the larger boy.

What had happened? There was _no way_ that the lone Titan could have overpowered the three students by herself! And certainly not if she was _blinded_ as Mousse had claimed she was! Frantically he zoomed in on the entrance of the building, trying to get a glimpse of what might have happened in the building. His unasked question was soon answered though.

Another figure exited the tower, this one walking confidently and whistling a tune. This new figure was a boy, wearing a Chinese style red shirt and a pair of loose black pants. Other than that, they boy had stony blue eyes and wore his hair in a tight braid at the back of his neck.

Then somehow, and the Headmaster wasn't certain how, the boy looked directly into the aerial camera through which he was watching... and waved jauntily! The boy then spoke loudly and clearly.

"Konnichiwa!"

The boy was then followed by another figure, this one with long brown hair. The second person then threw something which flashed through the air before the camera suddenly cut to static.

The Headmaster stared at the blank screen in disbelief. Had that person thrown... a spatula?

* * *

Ranma smirked as he watched the three villains scramble over each other to get to their feet before they all disappeared in a flash of darkness. Heh, that had been _way_ too easy. Those three hadn't even seen what hit them.

He then lifted his small communicator, the signal from the locator he had planted on Mammoth before launching the poor fool out the door was already showing up on the tiny map.

He then turned to the dark Titan that floated out to join him and Ukyou. "Heh, how did you like _that,_ Raven. I bet you ain't never seen someone kick butt like that before eh?" he bragged happily. He had been on that Mammoth guy like Happosai on underwear; the guy hadn't even had time to mount a defense before Ranma had launched him out the door.

Raven smirked and shrugged. "I've seen more impressive. I'll have to tell you how Ryouga defeated Cinderblock sometime," replied the overly smug girl. She then turned and floated back to the tower, a nearly hysterically giggling Ukyou following as he stood there sputtering incoherently.

It wasn't until both girls were already gone that he finally got his voice back. "What? That ain't _fair_! He knows the _Bakusai Tenketsu_ , that doesn't _count_!" he yelled at the long-departed girls. Annoyed now, he kicked the dirt as he grumbled to himself. She _would_ pick the _one_ situation where Ryouga could win a fight faster than him! He'd just have to do something even _more_ impressive to show these heroes who was the best martial artist around.

Well, now that they knew where their enemy was, he was sure he'd get plenty of chances to demonstrate just what he was capable of.

* * *

The Headmaster paced anxiously around his office. What to do, what to do? Somehow the very boy that Ryouga had refused to bring along earlier was now on their enemy's doorstep. The boy was every bit as dangerous as he had been led to believe, if Mammoth's story told him anything. And what was worse, the boy hadn't come alone, it seemed that everyone that hadn't been captured in their attack on Nerima was now _here_ , itching for revenge.

He was going to have to play this situation extremely carefully; there were too many manipulated memories and family ties present and it could easily unravel _everything_. Unlike his original students, whom he had slowly dominated over time, the Nerima martial artists possessed tremendous inner strengths, and he had not had time to bend them to his will. Rather, he had been forced to use the more roundabout method of altering their memories and misleading them into following him. It had worked wonderfully so far, but he hadn't expected the ones left behind to be able to find them, let alone so soon.

He had already spoken to Nabiki, to get her take on the situation. The girl had mentioned that she had already been formulating a plan of what to do when and if the Saotome boy should arrive. She had seemed confident that it would work, so that had put him somewhat at ease.

He wasn't _too_ worried in any case. As formidable as the boy was being made out to be, everyone also agreed that Hibiki was nearly his equal. Other than that, the Headmaster had already recruited the more formidable members of the Nerima group. The Saotome boy was being followed by a group of second stringers according to all reports. So, the Titan's new group was both out skilled and outnumbered overall; a particularly good situation from the aged villain's point of view. Maybe this was just an opportunity to increase his class size once again.

After all, Raven knew that she was still gravely outnumbered. They would probably just stay huddled in their tower, intent on repelling any attacks that came their way. Such a tactic was doomed to failure. And the alternative, an attack on the Academy, was so foolishly _reckless_ that only a madman would consider –

The Headmaster stumbled slightly from the shock of a distant explosion. Instantly the alarm sirens began to blare loudly. He spun and a flash of his power activated the view screens that covered the wall of his office.

He slapped a hand to his face and dragged it down. In retrospect, he should have _anticipated_ this. Nerima seemed to be populated completely by foolishly reckless madmen; his own students were evidence of _that_.

Standing in the center of the view screen were Raven, Ranma and two other girls that he vaguely recognized from their abduction plans weeks ago. And for some reason, the pigtailed boy's hands were smoking.

* * *

Raven reeled and raised a hand to her forehead after Ranma's attack. She wasn't sure _which_ was worse, Ryouga's bottomless angst, or Ranma's endless ego. Both boys had managed to find a way to force their emotions to such insane extents that they could use them as weapons. And they both gave her a _nasty_ headache.

"Wasn't that a little over the top?" she mumbled darkly as she looked at the massively smoking hole that her pigtailed companion had just blown in the front doors of the church that covered the Hive Academies location.

She heard Akane mumble "Try _living_ with him." from behind her.

Ranma smirked wildly. "Hey, we were _supposed_ to get their attention, I'd say we got it. Now it's the _fun part,_ where we see what they throw at us and throw it _right back_ at em!" cheered the supremely confident boy.

Raven shook her head, not even _Robin_ was that sure of himself. She turned to Akane and Konatsu. "Is he for real?" she asked quizzically. She only received resigned smiles in reply.

Actually, she was starting to feel a little better about this plan herself. She had been eager for a little payback and now was a good a time as any to get it. Besides, she was the most _powerful_ Titan there was, it was time to put these Hive jerks in their place and show them why she was the _best_ there was.

She didn't even notice as her lips curled into a smirk to match the boy's standing beside her.

* * *

Ryouga ran down the hall as fast as his companions would allow. Just ahead of him was Jinx, heading for the Academy’s only entrance, just behind him was Billy. He scanned quickly looking for Mousse, the other person that the Headmaster had ordered to defend the entrance, but the Chinese boy was nowhere to be seen.

"What in _tarnation_ is goin on here?" yelled Billy, just to be heard over the blaring alarms.

"We're being attacked, obviously! _Sheesh_! But who would be _dumb_ enough to attack a place like this head on?" replied Jinx, raising her voice to be heard as well.

The three of them continued to run until they hit the elevator that would take them to the surface. A moment later the yellow doors slid open to reveal the darkened interior of the church above the academy. Pale moonlight flowed in the many windows and the large hole in the front door.

 ** _No_**! It couldn't be! What was _he_ doing here? _How_ could he have found them already?

The entire area _stank_ of his rival's confident chi; it was obvious what had caused the destruction of the door before them. Without even waiting for his companions to follow he tore out of the elevator and smashed through the remains of the door and out into the night lit street. His teammates were hard pressed just to keep up.

Of course, if he hadn't been so fixated on Ranma, he might have noticed the shadowy figures drop from the rafters behind him and slink into the elevator.

* * *

Mousse wandered down yet _another_ corridor. Damn, they all looked the _same_ to him, and this was only the third night he'd been in the complex. No one had even given him a tour yet and there weren't any maps or signs anywhere telling him were to go. He let out a loud sigh; he just hoped Ryouga and Jinx could get by without him at the main entrance.

* * *

Kunou strode toward the containment area. The Headmaster's illustrious voice had sounded over the academy’s speaker system and ordered him to go and give added support to Kasumi and See-more. It was not the mission that he had hoped for, to go and gloriously repel the attackers of the school, but securing the prisoners _was_ important. It seemed to make sense, to send one of the best fighters to secure the prisoners while the other two warriors repelled the attackers.

Besides, if the aggressors were unable to make it past the likes of Ryouga or Mousse, then they weren't even _worthy_ of his blade in the first place.

* * *

Nabiki met up with the remainder of the students that the Headmaster had ordered to convene in the main training area. She made a mental note of who was where in the academy. Mousse, Ryouga, Jinx and Billy had been ordered to the main entrance. Kunou, Kasumi and See-more were watching over the Titans. Everyone else was here, Angel, Bumble Bee, Gizmo, Instigator, Kyd Wykkyd, Mammoth, Private Hive and XL Terrestrial.

Excellent, things were setting themselves up nicely. Absently she moved over to stand by Gizmo, Kyd Wykkyd and Mammoth. She then looked down at her watch, oddly enough it did not tell time, but what it did tell her was most promising indeed.

Nabiki Tendo smiled widely and leaned back against a nearby wall. Unless she missed her guess, things were going to get interesting _very_ soon.

* * *

Kasumi looked over her guests as the alarm continued to blare. As soon as it had started the four teen heroes had jumped up in elation. Though Kasumi hadn't heard what the disturbance was yet, it seemed likely that their friend was coming to rescue them.

On the other side of the room, See-more was looking nervous, not liking the predatory looks the Titans were giving him from inside their prisons. She felt sorry for the young man and what was about to happen.

She looked down at the watch that her sister had given her several days ago. It didn't tell her what time it was, but it did give her some much more comforting information. Slowly she moved until she was before the prison controls.

With a deep sigh she looked over to See-more. "I'm sorry, See-more, I hope you can forgive me someday."

He turned to face her, a look of confusion on his face. All the Titans turned to look at her as well, sharing the same look of confusion that her fellow student wore. See-more’s look of confusion quickly melted into outright panic as he watched her deactivate the prison spheres. The looks on the Titan's faces turned into something more primal.

She hoped the Titans didn't hurt the young villain _too_ badly.

* * *

The elevator door opened with a quiet swish. Tentatively, the four figures slipped out, studiously scanning the yellow corridors for any sign of guards.

"Building is too too _yellow_! Make sneaking very difficult, no?" asked the bubbly Amazon, not that she was worried. It just meant that it was that much less likely for anyone to sneak up on them.

Cologne nodded. "Indeed, no sense of style at all. Now, our job is to find the prisoners as quickly as possible, so we need to split up. Avoid detection if you can and fight only if you absolutely cannot avoid it. Does everyone understand?" she asked quietly.

Ukyou, Shampoo and Kodachi all nodded smartly before each took off down three separate corridors and vanished into the massive underground complex.

The ancient matriarch smiled to herself, it had been ages since she had gotten directly involved like this, and she had to admit it was quite fun. Suddenly a presence made itself known to her. Hmm, _this_ could be quite interesting. With that in mind, she pogoed down the same corridor the crazed gymnast did, but rather than turn right at the next intersection as the girl had, she turned left.

Meeting new people was always so much _fun_.

* * *

In an explosion of wood, Ryouga burst into the street. Standing before him, wearing that self-same smirk which the Lost Boy had so come to hate over the years, was _Ranma_ , come to ruin everything that Ryouga had built for himself here. He absently noticed Akane, Konatsu and Raven with the boy, but they weren't important, nor were his two companions flanking him now.

Anger set in his features, and a strange feeling of trepidation deep in his soul, he strode forward to meet his hated rival.

" ** _Why_**?" he cried, swinging his arm angrily to his side as he came to a stop just before the pigtailed boy. " _Why_ did you come here? Why can't you just _leave me alone_ for once?"

Ranma's smile fell at that. "What do you mean, Ryouga? Of _course_ , I had to come! You _kidnapped_ Akane's sisters; did you think we would just let that slide? I never would have imagined that you would sink to the level of a common criminal, man," shot back the blue-eyed warrior.

"Kidnapped? _Kidnapped_! I _liberated_ them! Nabiki, Kasumi, Mousse and Kunou! All the people whose lives _you_ were ruining just by being around. I gave them a _new life_ , a life away from _you,_ where they could do anything they wanted, where they wouldn't have to live in the shadow of the Great and Mighty Saotome anymore. But obviously you couldn't _handle_ not having your little pals to kick around whenever you were feeling down, could you?" he fired back at the arrogant boy before him.

The pigtailed fighter backed up a step. "What are you _talking_ about, Ryouga? You sound even crazier than usual. I don't kick around those two jerks to feel good about myself, and I don't know what the _heck_ you're talking about with Nabiki and Kasumi, how am I hurting _them_?" he asked angrily.

The fanged warrior shook his head... _how_ had Ranma been ruining their lives? It had seemed so clear when he had taken them but now it was eluding him.

" _Shut up_! Nabiki and Kasumi are happy here, happier than they were back home! Here they're _important_! Here people respect them and acknowledge them!"

"Happy being _criminals_? Happy causing other people _misery_? Does that sound like the Kasumi you know? I'd always thought that you had some kind of honor, Ryouga, as strange as it sounds but now all I see in front of me is a petty thug that'd rather take the easy way out then to do the right thing. I'm _disappointed_ in you, man," stated his opponent, the boy's voice deadly serious.

Ryouga lifted a hand to his chest... that had... that had _stung_ , but why? Since when did he _care_ what the arrogant sod before him thought? He looked to his side to the pink haired sorceress beside him. She matched his gaze, a sad expression on her face, but why was she sad? Still, the sight of her firmed his resolve, it didn't matter what anyone thought, only _she_ mattered to him. It didn't matter if nothing made sense, if he still had her.

He turned back to face Ranma, steel in his gaze now. "Do you think this is easy for me Ranma? Do you think I _want_ to hurt the people that don't deserve it? Do you think I _like_ wandering around in a haze of confusion, not even sure what I've done or why I'm doing what I'm doing? Well none of that _matters_ , I've found something, _someone_ that gives my life reason, and _nothing_ you can say can change the fact that I would do anything for Jinx as long as it makes her happy," he explained to his rival slowly and certain of his conviction.

The red and black clad boy scoffed and looked at the girl that stood beside the Lost Boy.

"You'd throw away everything that made you who you are, just for that _uncute scarecrow_ of a girl? Sheesh and I thought you had bad taste when you still liked _Akane_!" blurted out the infuriating martial artist, his arrogant smile returning in full force.

Ryouga recoiled as if he'd been slapped. Anger, comfortable and familiar, instantly exploded inside him. " _RANMA_! You dare to insult both Jinx _and_ Akane in front of me?" he yelled as loudly as his lungs would allow.

Ranma's smile only widened as he crossed his arms across his chest. It almost looked like he was expecting... no like he was _hoping_ to hear something. The look only infuriated him that much more.

" ** _RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"_**


	18. The End… But not that one…: Part 2

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Akane tuned out Ranma's and Ryouga's argument. It was a forgone conclusion that the two would end up fighting; Ranma was probably the foremost expert on the planet at enraging the Lost Boy. Not to mention everyone _else_ in the vicinity; she was sure if she _were_ paying attention, she’d probably end up siding with Ryouga.

That, and she had two _much_ more deserving targets of her fury before her; the pink haired girl and the red suited boy that arrived with her one-time friend. She wasn't sure she believed him, but Ranma was convinced that Ryouga was being controlled by these people, and that everything bad that had happened was their fault.

The angry young Tendo took a step forward, past the arguing martial arts masters and pointed an accusing finger at the pink haired girl that Mr. Saotome had claimed was the fanged boy's fiancée. The girl was currently sharing a glance with Ryouga, apparently there was a lull in the verbal sparring between the archrivals.

"What have you done with my sisters? Give Kasumi and Nabiki back to us _right now!"_ she shouted at the pink eyed villain. The girl tore her eyes off the two fighters to respond to her.

" _Your_ sisters? You're acting like we're holding them against their wills or something. Nabiki and Kasumi are a part of _our_ family now, why on earth would they want to go back to you?" replied the darkly clad vixen snidely. The girl then shifted back, a superior smirk forming on her face which only angered the young Tendo further.

"My sisters would _never_ become petty criminals like you! You must have brainwashed them like you did Ryouga! Well we won't let you get away with it, we'll beat you and rescue everyone that you've attacked!" she nearly snarled at the slim girl standing before her.

Jinx waved her hand dismissively. "Pfft, and what are _you_ gonna do, _Akane_? Ryouga told us about all of you guys, and you weren't _even on the list_ to be recruited. Obviously, he didn't even think you were worth bringing along with your sisters."

"Ryouga is my _friend_. He would _never_ do anything to hurt me willingly. But I guess you wouldn't know anything about having _friends_ now would you, you – you _hussy_!" she fired back at the criminal girl. Like she didn't get enough insults to her skills from Ranma, there was no way she was going to put up with that from a stranger!

Jinx's eyes narrowed dangerously at her last comment. Then a nasty smirk spread across her features.

"Ya know, now that I've seen you, what Ryouga told me of your fiancé's opinions were dead on, you _are_ built like a brick, and that's definitely a face that only a mother could love," spewed the cruel villainess.

Akane gasped, lifting a hand to her mouth, and biting her knuckle to stifle her scream. That-that _girl_! She had just insulted her using her _mother_! The brick comment was nothing, even tame by Ranma's standards, but to bring her mother into this?

Akane's vision went red. " _You! You bimbo_!"

She began marching forward to teach the wretchedly smirking criminal a lesson in manners.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her up short. She turned quickly to see the blindfolded Raven holding her back, the portion of her face that was still revealed displayed a strange mix of disbelief and concern.

"Um, Akane... I really think that _I_ should handle Jinx," supplied the nervous sounding hero.

"Are you saying that I can't handle a skinny little stick of a girl like her? I'm a martial artist _too,_ you know?" she hissed at the girl holding her back, her pride already feeling wounded.

Raven shook her head slightly. "You might be, but she _isn't_ ," she stated, indicating the pink haired girl with her free hand. "She's an extremely dangerous super villain with powers that you haven't encountered before. I have fought her before, though, so I'm better suited to deal with her."

Akane wasn't convinced yet, the girl was practically a stick figure. That and Akane herself had seen some unusual fighters in her day. She was about to launch herself at Jinx again when the Titan pulled her back a step.

"That... and Jinx and I have a few things to _discuss_ concerning a certain fanged boy. I'm sure you can understand that can't you?"

At that, the dark-haired Tendo nodded, a vindictive smile forming on her face. Martial artist's pride was one thing, but a woman scorned was another matter completely, and considering that her fiancée was Ranma Saotome, Akane could understand Raven's position completely.

Gently she removed the dark Titan's hand from her shoulder. "Alright, Raven, the hussy is all yours, just give her a few good hits for me.”

With that Akane walked over, grabbed Konatsu's hand and pulled the kunoichi over to the red suited boy that had been pretty much ignored until that point.

As the Tendo and the Ninja approached the figure, everything was disrupted by a night shattering yell.

" ** _RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"_**

* * *

" ** _RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"_**

Ranma smirked at the familiar epitaph, he could scarcely remember the last time his rival had uttered those words. Really, it was almost unfair how easy it was to anger his long-time rival, he almost felt guilty. Well, at least he was back in his element and fighting a foe that he knew nearly as well as he knew himself.

He nimbly danced back and glided out of the way as the Lost Boy hurtled towards him like a ballistic missile. The pig tailed warrior frowned as he felt his rival’s fist brush his shirt lightly. Odd, the Lost Boy didn't usually get _that_ close when he was this angry. He was obviously holding back too much on his poor friend, must have been feeling sorry for the guy subconsciously or something.

Ranma picked up the pace as Ryouga closed in again, quickly flipping up and over a kick which sheared through a lamp post like it was made of foil. He was forced onto the defensive immediately after landing as the fanged fighter recovered from the missed kick and launched into an elaborate string of attacks intent on overwhelming him.

The Saotome heir's eyes narrowed as he carefully weaved through the attacks, doing his best to avoid blocking as much as possible. A higher part of his consciousness sensed his opponent's aura start to manifest itself and his own spirit responded by instinct. The world slowed around him as he felt his aura surge to life; the collapsing lamp post slowing to a crawl as it collapsed to the pavement. In the background all the other fighters slowed to a crawl. Idly, he knew that Konatsu could likely join them at these speeds but wasn't at the moment.

The one thing that didn't slow down at all, but that he had sort of expected to, was Ryouga's relentless assault. Even as everything around them chugged ahead sluggishly, as if being watched in slow motion, the Lost Boy moved in real time. The female-cursed martial artist could see his enemy's aura shimmering brightly, a pale azure light limning the fanged boy.

Clearly, his rival hadn't let up on his training since his disappearance. In a way it made Ranma feel a strange sense of elation. It had been _forever_ since he’d had a good challenge and Ryouga was at the top of his game.

After a few more moments of dodging, he felt he had a decent sense of where his rival was sitting skill wise; it was time to go on the offensive. He leapt over a low sweep, flipped backwards to avoid the following back fist then quickly bounced off the pavement and over the Lost Boy's head. In mid air he spun as quickly and tightly as his spine would allow, bringing every ounce of power, momentum, and inertia to bear in a devastating spinning kick to the back of Ryouga's head. His foot left a trail of golden chi in its wake as it sliced through the air.

He was mildly surprised when his rival pivoted fast enough to face the attack and cross his arms just before the strike landed. It didn't matter, though, as his foot blasted through the meager defense and launched Ryouga through the air to demolish the wall of a nearby building, rubble raining down to bury the unfortunate guy.

Ranma smirked, it was a variation of his Shooting Star Kick that he’d used on Pantyhose, not nearly as powerful without the elastic of the pantyhose to pull him in, but it seemed functional so far. He also knew that it wasn't _nearly_ enough to stop Hibiki, not after the Breaking Point training, but the Lost Boy felt _that one_ , that was for sure.

He stood; arms crossed confidently over his chest as he waited for his opponent to dig himself out from under the rubble.

During this short lull, he noticed another fight starting across the road.

* * *

Akane came to a stop before the red clad youth wearing the mask over the top of his face. Even her limited skill (compared to Ranma's anyway) told her quickly enough that the boy before them wasn't a martial artist. Sure, the guy was in good shape, even slightly buff, but he didn't carry himself like a fighter. This wouldn't even be a _fight_.

" _Hmph_ , listen here. You better take me to see my sisters before I get _really_ angry!" she informed the unfortunate boy.

"Name's Billy Numerous, ladies. And I reckon two on one ain't really a fair fight. How bout I even up the odds a bit? What do ya say about two to _two hundred_?" the boy shouted the last inquiry before his entire body blurred in a stomach-churning way. Instantly the boy started duplicating and multiplying at a staggering rate. It didn't stop until a veritable army of young men clad in red outfits stood before them.

"Now this, I reckon, is a _fair_ fight," taunted one of the villainous teens, getting various shouts of support from the mob behind him.

The sudden reversal left Akane at a bit of a loss... there certainly were a _lot_ of them now. Still, she couldn't let her sisters down after coming this far. Hesitantly she moved forward to engage the numerous Billys.

Her advance was halted by a frantic shout from behind her. She turned quickly to see Ranma in the distance, not too far from a large pile of rubble.

"Akane wait!" yelled Ranma again, concern lacing his voice as he called out to her. She turned to face him more completely, annoyance already crossing her features.

"What _is_ it, Ranma? If you're going to tell me to stay back so I don't get hurt, _so help_ _me_ I'll-" abruptly she was cut off by the pigtailed boy, a wide and confident smile brightening his face. It was one of those rare smiles, one that wasn't cocky or superior, and frankly it took a bit of her breath away.

"Don't be like that, Akane, I was just gonna tell ya to take it easy on them! I know you can handle a few hundred of those losers!" he replied, chuckling happily before he turned back to face the ominously shifting pile of rubble.

Akane felt a blush coming to her cheeks at his supportive words. Confidence spread through her heart as she turned back to face the mob before her. Sure, it was a lot more than she handled in school, but if Ranma believed she could do it, then there was _no way_ she could fail.

She turned to the cross-dressing boy beside her, a confident smile on her lips. "Konatsu, I'll handle the hundred on the right, you get the hundred on the left."

Konatsu nodded in agreement, smiling cutely. "Of course, I'm sure this will be lots of fun!"

And the two of them charged into the mass of boys before them.

* * *

Noticing that everyone had finally gone off to their separate encounters, Raven finally floated forward to confront the pink haired sorceress. She was feeling a little confused as to why the villainess was acting so belligerent. Hadn't she _wanted_ Raven to come and rescue the fanged martial artist from the Headmaster's mind control? Once she was certain that everyone was far enough away, she dropped to the ground to address the enigmatic girl.

The dark-haired Titan leaned in slightly as she spoke. "What's going on, Jinx? I thought you wanted us rescue Ryouga," she asked quietly.

"Yeah, well you're too late, Titan; he shook off the Headmaster's control _without_ your help. His friends belong with us, and he – he belongs with _me,_ Raven," stated her villainous rival, her voice filled with conviction. Jinx also leaned forward slightly, their faces scant inches apart.

Beneath her blindfold, Raven felt her eyes tighten. "Don't _do_ this, Jinx; we don't have to fight here. Just stand aside and let us do what needs to be done," she urged the sorceress.

The two of them were standing so close now that she could feel Jinx's breath on her face when the girl responded.

"I couldn't care _less_ about you or your friends, but what _I_ need, is to be with Ryouga. If you're so concerned about the rest of the Titans, I suggest that you go help _them_. I'll take Ryouga and leave and you won't have to worry about us again," offered Jinx, the young witch sounded serious as well.

"You know I can't let you do that. _Please_ don't make me fight you on this, you _know_ you can't win," she very nearly pleaded with the stubborn girl. Why had Jinx changed her mind like this? The dark Titan had been almost expecting the girl to be prepared to help them, but now she seemed to have reverted to square one.

She flinched slightly as Jinx leaned in startlingly close; the girl's lips resting right next her ear. "You think I can't win? Raven... you don't know _what_ I can do," whispered the slim young woman.

Suddenly Raven sensed a surge of power from the girl, a flood of pink energy pouring out of the villainess and blinding her sensitive chi sight. She tried to move back as quickly as she could but was sent flying abruptly as Jinx lashed out with a wave of mystical force.

The violet haired Titan skidded to a stop several meters back, her arms crossed before her and a flickering shield of ebony protecting her. Before her she could ‘ _see’_ Jinx, standing tall and proud before her, the neon flows of the girl's fate bending power traveling through her body and forming a shimmering silhouette of the young woman. The Hive sorceress wasn't holding anything back and Raven knew that if she was to see the girl with her eyes, Jinx's eye's and hands would be glowing a molten pink.

"If that's the way it has to be, then so be it!" she yelled back. She then reared back her arm and thrust it forward, using it to focus her frightful willpower. A massive claw of midnight black energy exploded from her outstretched hand and blasted into the pink haired witch's chest.

Jinx just managed to cross her brilliantly glowing arms across her chest before the ebony talon crashed into her. The attack struck with enough force to lift the slight girl from the ground and send her flying through the remains of the massive church doors and far into the darkened interior of the ancient structure. Raven's strike carried the girl completely out of the sphere of her chi sense, though she heard the devastating impact of her telekinetic construct colliding with the heavy stone interior of the church.

Determined to finish the fight quickly and save her friends, Raven floated into the abandoned building.

* * *

Ukyou cursed her luck as she ran aimlessly through the yellow hued complex. It was bad enough that she didn't know where she was going. It was bad enough that every hallway looked the same, and whoever designed this place had an unhealthy affection for bees. It was bad enough that she hadn't gotten to stay up on the surface and fight by her fiancé's side like a good wife would. No, Ukyou's luck just had to throw her that _extra_ little bit of bad karma.

Of all the people to meet up with again after splitting up, why did she have to find herself running down the hallways of this crazy place with _Kodachi_?

Said gymnast was doing more prancing than running and trailing her thrice cursed ribbon behind her like the tail of a mentally unstable comet.

"Peasant girl! Have you seen any sign of my dear brother?" asked the wealthy young woman as they hastily moved down another corridor.

It took a bit of willpower to bite back the first comment that she wanted to fire at the upper-class brat, but they were supposed to be working as a team. Instead she grunted out a brief ‘no’ and then went back to trying her best to pretend the Kunou girl wasn't there with her.

Up ahead of them was a four-way intersection, _hmm_ , this could be a good chance to get rid of her unwanted companion. She was about to suggest that she should go left and Kodachi go right when-

"I hear voices ahead of us! I shall go investigate. One as unskilled as _yourself_ should stay back in case there is trouble!" gloated the egotistical heiress as she bounded forward like a leotard clad gazelle.

" _Excuse_ me? Unskilled? Last I heard, _I_ wasn't the one that had to ambush people before a match to make sure I won, Sugar!" she yelled back, picking up speed as she ran forward to catch up to her companion.

Kodachi raised a hand before her mouth daintily before laughing mockingly.

"Ambush? Don't be silly, peasant! I _always_ fight fair, even before the match!" The girl then began to move forward even faster, Ukyou felt a little jealous of the other girl's fluid grace as she flowed down the hallway.

A second later they burst out of the hallway and into a massive room, yelling in challenge. Ukyou brandished her massive spatula before her even as Kodachi twirled her ribbon around her threateningly; prepared to face any opponents they might meet.

They were met by the rather nonplussed gazes of ten pairs of eyes.

Ukyou had just a moment to pick Nabiki out of the crowd, as the smirking Tendo waved at them from across the room. That was all she had time to do before a familiar figure wearing a blue and gold uniform and brandishing a hexagonal shield leapt forward, an accusing finger pointing right in her direction.

" ** _You_**!" howled the masked boy in righteous fury. The furious villain then burst into action, sprinting across the room, and not too far behind the lead boy was a veritable stampede of nasty looking fighters.

The okonomiyaki chef looked to the girl beside her. "Umm, tactical withdrawal?" she muttered.

The gymnast turned to regard her. "Hmm, yes, I do believe that would be an appropriate course of action."

With that, the two girls turned tail and vanished back down the hallway so fast that the only evidence they had ever been there in the first place was the twin clouds of dust they kicked up.

* * *

Nabiki giggled at her brief reunion with her associates from Nerima. She couldn't even imagine the fast talking Ranma must have done to get _those_ girls to work together. She was, however, somewhat _impressed_ that Ranma and his friends had been clever enough to split up their forces. Drawing the Headmaster's attention to the surface with a direct attack, while sneaking a secondary group into the complex to free the Titans. It wasn't _overly_ clever or even necessary at this point, but more than Ranma usually did planning wise.

Still, she didn't want to have everyone tearing off after the two girls. As certain as she was of her superior intellect, she didn't exactly want to get caught in the middle of a superhuman clash without her bodyguards to back her up. Rapier wit only worked until you ran into someone with an actual rapier.

"Wait everyone!" she yelled as loudly as she could to get everyone's attention. It worked for the most part, except that Private Hive and the two flying girls had already disappeared down the hallway. No loss there, though, all the important people were still around.

"The Headmaster told us to stay here; we can't all go running off after just _two_ girls. I'm sure Private Hive, Bumble Bee and Angel can handle those two," she explained lightly to the remaining villains-in-training. Not that she necessarily believed it, but heck, how would any of these guys know?

Mammoth, Gizmo, Kid Wykkyd, XL Terrestrial, Instigator and several Billy clones nodded and moved back into the room.

* * *

Shampoo marched down yet _another_ hallway. The proud Amazon had already stumbled across several larger rooms, a library, some form of computer room and what appeared to be a large classroom, but nothing useful yet. At least if their opponents had been martial artists, she might have been able to track them by using her chi awareness, but she hadn't really sensed anyone yet.

A flash of movement caught her eye. Someone had just crossed through another hallway further down, but she didn't think they even had time to notice her at the speed they were moving.

She smiled a predatory smile, perhaps it was time for a game of cat and mouse. Hunting was one of her favorite past times after all.

The violet haired Amazon stealthily pulled one of her trusty maces out and started running down the hallway parallel to the one her quarry had traveled down.

* * *

The Headmaster strode out of his personal chamber and into his office. He had stopped briefly to change into his combat robes, but now he was ready to go meet with his students and start organizing the defense against the attackers above. The aging villain absently glanced at his desk and checked the monitors, hmm, the fight on the surface seemed to still be going on.

Reassured that the pigtailed boy was being kept busy, he turned and moved towards the door. A tiny surge of his power opened the door for him, and he strode boldly out the aperture. A sudden _swish_ of sound distracted him for a second... what had that been? Still in the doorway, he turned about for a moment trying to locate what could have caused the sound. After a few seconds of fruitless looking, he shrugged and made to finish exiting the room –

"This is a nice desk you have here, sonny boy. I don't know about all of the yellow though, it does get tedious," came an ancient and wizened voice from behind him.

The shocked super villain spun around quickly to see who had spoken... only to find a tiny old woman perched on the edge of his desk, idly flipping through the channels on one of the monitors that were sitting atop his desk.

Infuriated at being surprised like that, he stalked forward. "Who _are_ you, and how did you get into my office?" he demanded of the shrunken old woman.

The ancient woman shrugged, smiling slightly... well he thought she could be smiling at any rate, it was hard to tell. "I walked in when you opened the door, fool boy," she replied, cackling quietly.

What? She expected him to believe... that... Wait, the _swish_ sound when he was walking through the door, and the woman's shrunken stature. It reminded him very much of another person he had met recently. In fact, were it not for the different hair and a cane rather than a pipe, she looked startlingly similar...

_Oh no_.

Slowly the Headmaster took a few steps back from his desk and the woman who perched on it. She reminded him very much of Happosai, making it quite likely she was the old woman, Cologne, from Ryouga's stories This meant that she probably possessed all of the same deadly skills as the old man, but none of his unusual and exploitable quirks.

"To what do I owe this auspicious visit?" he asked, trying his utmost to cover the nervousness in his voice.

The woman raised a questioning eyebrow, or perhaps it was an amused eyebrow, it was hard to read the woman's features considering how wrinkled she was.

"I just wanted to meet the unfortunate fool that brought down the wrath of all of Nerima on his own head. I must say that this has been an entertaining change though; usually it's a powerful martial artist or an errant prince that sets off my son-in-law and his friends. Dealing with these so called ‘superheroes’ and ‘super villains’ has been a new and interesting experience. And let me tell you, at _my_ age that's nothing to sneeze at," explained the ancient master, chuckling to herself further.

The Headmaster was somewhat taken aback. "Then you are not here to attack me yourself?" he inquired, a little confused. This wasn't the way business was usually transacted between the forces of good and evil.

The old lady shook her head, still laughing. "Oh my, no! I wouldn't want to take away the children's fun. I'm certain that young Raven would like to speak with you concerning the questionable nature of a certain fanged boy's recruitment into your organization," she spoke cheerfully. She then tilted her head to the side in consideration.

"That, and Ranma is _always_ looking for new challenges. Not to mention the rather unsettling possibilities of Konatsu's theory that you are controlling Ryouga's mind. If I were you, I would pray to whatever god you might worship that _that_ boy doesn't slip out from your control. Just from the few stories that I have heard of what you've been having him do to his new friends, I suspect that his ire will be most... _explosive_ ," she finished, smiling viciously.

The powerful criminal wasn't exactly sure what to do right at that moment. Poised before him was a formidable and intelligent warrior, but she didn't appear to want to fight him. Should he leave, should he stay? Perhaps if he could distract her... but how?

Suddenly, as if in answer to his unasked inquiry, the woman cocked her head to the side, almost as if she were listening to something far off and her eyes stared into the distance. Idly, the woman muttered to herself. "Hmm, it appears things are finally getting serious up there."

_NOW_! It would likely be his _only_ chance! As soon as she dropped her guard to do... _whatever_ it was she was doing, he brought the full brunt of his formidable psyche to bear on her. His psychic attack crashed into the old woman like a tsunami of mental energy as he attempted to crush her mind and bring her under his control.

Except that somehow the tsunami was _repelled_ , the ancient master turned to face him, her eyes ablaze with yellow energy and her hair flying up in an unseen wind. He felt his mental attack shatter against the woman's psychic defenses like a wave crashing against a mountain. The backlash of his own attack was enough to send him stumbling to bounce off the wall beside the door, accidentally opening it when his back collided with the button.

The woman looked at him again, her gaze no longer amused, but now filled with a terrifying amount of cold fury aimed his way.

"Boy! You're a hundred years to young to even _attempt_ to attack my mind. A very foolish move on your part as well. I _was_ going to let you go free and let the children deal with you, however, where I come from, there are _penalties_ for when a male attempts to control a woman's mind," intoned the old Amazon, her voice chilling him to his very bones.

He could scarcely stand under his own power now, still reeling from the backlash of his own attack. As it was, he had no hope of fleeing as the ancient crone dropped to the floor and ominously started to walk across the room to where he was huddled.

"Under Joketsuzoku law, section 3, subsection 5, any male that attempts to control the mind of any Amazon, through the use of drugs, magic or any other such tactic, is guilty of high treason against the Tribe and is thus sentenced to _death_.” She chuckled coldly. “I'll admit, I'm not usually a stickler for rules like that, but you've annoyed me boy."

The old woman than raised her staff menacingly in the air above her. Then, with terrible swiftness, the implement of his demise flew, whistling keenly as it sped towards his unprotected head.

Only to be stopped by an ancient wooden pipe. The Headmaster's head whipped around until he gazed upon his tiny savior. He honestly never imagined he would have been so happy to see the tiny pervert before him.

"Oh, come now, Cologne! I've broken that silly law at least a _dozen_ times since you've known me and you haven't killed _me_ over it," chortled the man, chuckling to himself.

Slowly Cologne retracted her staff and turned to face the ancient pervert. "Not for lack of trying Happi, not for lack of trying," she replied, a mix of resigned and amused in her voice as she shook her head from side to side.

The founder of the Anything Goes Style smiled at that. "I suppose that just means that you need to try _harder_."

The matriarch of the Amazons nodded, smiling herself now.

"If you _insist,_ Happi."

* * *

"Kasumi! What are you _doing_?" See-more yelled from his position across the prison room. The eldest Tendo sister looked away from the poor boy, feeling bad for betraying his trust even as she deactivated the control panel that operated their prisoners' containment units. For his part, See-more could only stand, quailing in confusion about what to do; he was obviously split on trying to stop her, but not wanting to harm her. It was sweet, and just made her feel that much _worse_.

A moment later the yellow spheres vanished and the four heroes leapt forward eagerly.

"Titans _GO_!" yelled the young, masked boy that had been her first guest.

See-more back-peddled frantically to gain some distance from the four irate heroes. She didn't want to see her classmate injured because of her, and it was rather obvious that he wasn't keen on battling all the Titans, anyway.

"Robin, wait! You don't have time to waste here, you have to find the Headmaster and _stop_ him!" she pleaded with the young hero. All five youths in the room turned to regard her after her outburst. Once she had their attention she quickly moved to the wall and opened one of the secret panels. From the small compartment she drew out a familiar looking belt.

"My utility belt!" shouted Robin. He turned to regard his friends and the villain still in the room with them. "Cyborg, deal with See-more, the rest of us will go after the Headmaster, catch up when you're done here."

The cybernetic teen gave him the thumbs up. "No problem, Robin, I'll be right with ya." he stated before turning to face the small criminal and cracking his knuckles ominously.

That was probably the best that Kasumi could hope for, she knew the Titans wouldn't just leave the boy alone to attack them later. A second later Robin, Starfire and Beast Boy were at her side. She quickly handed the Titan's leader his belt and started leading them to the door.

"Why is it that you are helping us now, Kasumi?" asked the orange skinned girl. The eldest Tendo turned to glance at the alien girl.

"There's no time to explain now. I believe that some mutual friends of ours are here to rescue you. That, and Nabiki wanted to make sure that the Headmaster wouldn't be able to finish you off while you were helpless," she explained quickly. As soon as they reached the massive door, she entered her password and the door started to slowly swing open.

" _Nabiki_ wanted that? What's goin on here? She's the one that captured all of us!" blurted out the emerald shape changer in confusion.

"I have to agree with Beast Boy here, Kasumi, why would Nabiki order our release like this?" added Robin.

Slowly, as she waited for the door to finish opening, she took in a long breath. "Robin, Nabiki also wanted me to give you a message. She told me to tell you that you're only alive because she allowed it and that you owe her one. She wanted me to be sure that you understood that and remembered it," she said forlornly. She wasn't happy about what her sister had said, but it was a part of her sister's plan and Nabiki had insisted.

Robin and his two companions looked at her strangely for a moment. Luckily, the door was finally open enough and she quickly squeezed out the door to make her way to the Main chamber. She was followed by three anxious looking Titans.

* * *

Cyborg looked to the door his friends had just exited, then turned back to face the cowering villain. Again, he cracked his knuckles and chuckled to himself. It was time for a little _payback_ for the fights, tricks, and traps that they'd been subjected to.

"It's time for you and me to dance, little man!"

* * *

Ryouga shifted under the rubble of the building. It wasn't like the masonry was that heavy, but he felt the need for a short breather. Even though it was obvious that Ranma was still holding back his full strength, hitting him with that rather unimpressive kick, the boy was still infuriatingly fast and skilled.

A sudden flash of pain and light stabbed his brain, a fuzzy image forming in his mind.

* * *

"You are an exceptional fighter, boy. Even losing control as you do, you are still almost a match for my Son-in-law. If you could fight with the same concentration with which you train, the gap between the two of you might vanish completely."

Cologne spoke sincerely; her words even beginning to pierce the heavy veil of his pessimism.

* * *

It passed as quickly as it came... but when had the old woman said that to him? He knew he had spent time in the Amazon village, but it was all a blur to him. _Damn it_! How could the old woman expect him to stay calm against Ranma? That jerk had ruined his life; cast him into a pit of despair from which there was no return! Because of Ranma he had _lost_ Akan–

* * *

Starfire firmly grabbed his chin between her fingers and forced him to match her gaze.

"Do you truly believe that you are the only person to experience pain in their life?"

He looked into her intense eyes and could only stare dumbly.

"My own sister, whom I love unconditionally, _hates_ me with every fiber of her being. She has done... unspeakable things to me, things I cannot ever repeat. You have but lost a friend; can you imagine what it would feel like to know that your own flesh and blood detests you so? Tell me Ryouga, can you?"

* * *

The Lost Boy shook his head violently to clear the images and words from his mind. T-that hadn't happened... had it? But then why was she so familiar to him? Every time he faced the Titans, he found himself gravitating towards her, like he was most comfortable dealing with her.

Still, whether true or a fantasy, the words struck a chord deep in his soul. _Did_ he think he was the only one that suffered here? Had he completely neglected the effect that taking Nabiki and Kasumi would have on _Akane_? Of _course,_ Akane would be devastated over losing her sisters! What had he been _thinking_? And if she were upset then Ranma would be upset as well... was his hated rival suffering too? Because of what _Ryouga_ had done?

Another vision assaulted him, this one brief and terrifying, all that he saw was the tiniest glimpse of a pair of crimson eyes piercing his mind. It lasted for only a blink, but it was enough.

A sudden surge of anger flowed through his body and he rose with enough force to send the rubble above him flying like sand in the wind. Just because Ranma was suffering too didn't mean that Ryouga was going to let him _win_ , it just meant that they were even, that was _all_.

But perhaps Cologne was right; a more _clinical_ approach was needed. Ranma nearly always beat him because he couldn't control himself when he fought the arrogant boy. But for some reason, after his strange memories of Cologne and Starfire, he felt a sense of cool detachment washing over him. He wasn't sure what it meant or where it had come from, but he would _gladly_ use it to defeat his rival!

He stood proudly, rubble and dust tumbling off him as he faced his rival. Ranma stood nearby, arrogant smile still adorning his lips, waiting for him.

"Ranma! This fight is just _beginning_. Now stop holding back or you… are _going_ … to **_die_**!" he yelled the warning to the pigtailed warrior.

He charged the red shirted boy, bricks and mortar shattering from the force of his passage.

* * *

Kodachi idly cursed her errant companion. Ukyou and herself had retreated down the hallway they had come, being chased by a veritable mob of unsavory people. But as soon as they had reached the intersection they had passed through before, the peasant had turned the opposite way and fled to the left while she herself had gracefully maneuvered down the right tunnel.

She took a moment to glance over her shoulder even as she continued to bound down the hallway. It appeared that luck was with her, of the three that had followed them, only one was currently following her. Truly fate favored the bold, due to Ukyou's cowardly nature; she would be forced to face two adversaries. Perhaps, if she felt magnanimous, she would go and help the wayward chef after she had dealt with her pursuer.

Of course, the brilliant gymnast would need to find a suitable place to fight first, a narrow hallway like the one she was in at the moment provided her absolutely no advantage over the white winged girl that flew down the hallway after her.

Wait a moment; she had just passed a sign indicating a room up ahead of her. What had it said again? Gymnasium?

She felt a wicked smile grace her lips at that. Yes, that would be _perfect_ , _so_ perfect in fact, that she couldn't contain her glee.

" _Hohohohoho_!"

* * *

Cyborg dodged to the side as a large spherical eyeball came flying his way. He didn't know if he should be worried or grossed out by his current opponent. A blast of his sonic cannon ricocheted off the boy's force field, yet again. He had to give the kid some credit; he had a _solid_ defense.

Too bad his _offense_ wasn't great. Cyborg fired a missile from his shoulder, destroying another eye shaped projectile. Still, if the cybernetic teen wanted to beat this kid, he was gonna have to get close enough to get past that annoying shield!

The massive Titan nimbly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another attack, then kicked off from the ground and charged the ocular villain. His move was fast enough to take the kid by surprise. He lashed out with his fist, intent on finishing this fight off right there.

Only to stumble back and nearly fall on his butt as his fist rebounded painfully off the boy's hastily erected force field.

" _Ha_! You're gonna have to do better than _that,_ Titan. After all the drills that Nabiki had Ryouga ran us through, you ain't got _no_ game!" bragged the cyclopean villain.

Cyborg regained his balance and took a few steps back. Hmmm, okay, maybe he was gonna need a little strategy here.

* * *

Konatsu was a literal blur of motion as he flew through the droves of Billys surrounding him. He ducked and weaved around limbs as if they were moving in slow motion, none of the boys even coming close to touching him. Whenever a particularly good opening presented itself, he would lash out, usually knocking another Billy out of the fight.

To the genius ninja, this fight was getting a little _tedious_. He couldn't use his deadlier techniques; not only weren't they necessary, but against opponents like these, he _would_ end up killing them. Of course, at the rate the fight was going, he was going to fall asleep from boredom before he ran out of opponents.

He looked across the street to where his companion was fighting. The dark haired Tendo girl was a dynamo of action herself. She was also in complete contrast to him. Where he was gliding through the clones like a gentle breeze and dispatching them at his whim, she was a whirlwind, cutting a swath, and sending boys flying wherever she went.

Hmmm, well, just because he couldn't use his deadly techniques, it didn't mean he couldn't use his lesser techniques. The genius kunoichi took a brief second to gather his concentration then-

" _Füjin Seikyü Shyo_ **!** " he cried out, a storm of old receipts from Ucchan's bursting forth from his sleeves and flying to surround a throng of his opponents. The chi charged pieces of paper flew amongst the red clad villains, leaving annoying and painful cuts in their wake, slashing clothing, and skin with equal ease. The move wasn't lethal, but it would certainly keep many them distracted for a few minutes.

It sure was a good thing that he stocked up before he came here.

…And he certainly hoped that his darling Ukyou hadn't needed any of those receipts for tax reasons.

* * *

Said Okonomiyaki chef skidded to a stop as she burst into a massive room. Filling the room were several long tables surrounded by chairs. Even despite the garish yellow color and the hexagonal lines on the walls, it was easy to tell what room she had stumbled across.

The cafeteria.

She smiled to herself before vaulting over several tables and settling in the center of the room. The rest of this place might have been alien to her, but she felt comfortable that this room would let her fight to her fullest. She quickly whipped out her grill from... well, from wherever she carried it around with her and set it up quickly. She only had a few seconds before her new friends arrived.

As if summoned by her hasty thoughts, the two villains burst into the room. The boy with the hexagonal shield kept charging right in her direction. The black and yellow clad girl pulled up steeply and flew up over her position. It looked like they were planning to attack her from two angles, not a bad plan.

Too bad they had no chance against her, she already fought the boy before and knew what _he_ could do. Still, she didn't want to get blindsided by the dark-skinned girl in the air. Quickly she slid her hand into her uniform top and pulled out a familiar package.

" _Flour Bomb_!" She tossed and ripped the small satchel into the air where it burst into a large cloud of flour, enveloping the flying girl. She could hear the bee themed villain cough and choke from the depths of the cloud.

Shield Boy was still running in her direction, leaping over the first table to get to her. The chef grinned, this was already going well, and the few seconds at her grill had already rendered her the next weapon in her arsenal. Deftly she pulled her latest culinary creation from the grill.

" _Yakisoba Rope_!" she yelled, even as she whipped out with the rubbery, rope-like noodles she’d just prepared. The heavy confections shot out and wrapped around the young man, entangling him messily. Still bounding over the table, the boy was caught in midair and ended up doing a face plant to the unyielding ground as the unwieldy noodles caught him.

Ukyou quickly returned her attention to the hot griddle before her, preparing her next technique-

She stumbled back and shielded her face as her grill _exploded_ in a flash of golden light. On instinct she continued her retreat and performed a backwards handstand over one of the long tables, even as she launched a hail of spatulas at the flying girl.

As soon as the startled chef landed from her leap, she quickly took stock of her enemies. The bee clad girl above her was just blasting the last of her spatulas from the air even as the blue clad boy was savagely cutting through the sticky rope with the edge of his golden shield. She estimated it would take him a few more seconds to get free at the least so it would be best to deal with the girl first.

Her opponent was just as eager to fight, already swooping down to attack, a pair of large golden weapons which crackled with a golden light leading her way. Happy to oblige, Ukyou unlimbered her massive spatula and leapt into the air to meet the young villain. The girl's strange weapons flared to life, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts even as she flew. Expertly, the chef extraordinaire deflected each attack with the flat of her weapon before spinning tightly in midair and sending the razor edge of her deadly implement careening towards her enemy’s skull.

Only to gasp as her target _vanished_ , leaving her weapon to miss harmlessly and pull her off balance.

She landed awkwardly from the attack and leapt again to land on a further table. Spinning in midair, she landed facing the place where she’d last seen her opponent. But as soon as she landed, she was forced to bend backwards, nearly horizontal with the table. This quick move saved her life as a familiar hexagonal shield slashed through the air her head had occupied a second ago.

Currently facing backwards, she watched the shield bounce off the far wall then ricochet off another wall and the ceiling before being caught by the young man who had thrown it in the first place. Slowly, Ukyou stood once more and stared down her enemies.

The dark-skinned girl had reappeared in the brief seconds that her back had been turned and was now floating side by side with the shield bearing boy. She lifted her spatula before her, a serious look settling on her features.

"I don't know _who_ you jack asses are, but you're going to _regret_ hurting my friends."

With that, all three combatants charged into glorious combat.

* * *

Raven floated quickly towards the entrance of the church through which she blasted the Hive sorceress. She was only a few feet from the door when she was stopped by a sudden flash of energy from inside the church; a massive burst of pink energy that was so obviously Jinx. Strangely, the attack didn't extend beyond the church itself, perhaps the pink haired which had needed to use the attack to free herself from wherever Raven had deposited her within the church?

The moment of indecision past, the violet haired Titan continued her charge into the long-abandoned sanctuary... only to be shocked as another burst of pink energy flew within inches of her head. She dove into a forward roll, aiming for the perceived origin of the attack. Her concentration was completely thrown off, mid leap by a massive crash behind her, it sounded like a section of the wall had collapsed behind her... it was a good thing she had rolled when she had or she would have been crushed.

As soon as she landed, the dark Titan stood and whipped around to find Jinx... but she _couldn't_! Something was wrong, everywhere she looked... a thick fog hung in the air. She could just barely make out the features of the rubble that covered the door behind her, but anything beyond a few meters was completely obscured. And as for the nimble young villainess that she had followed in here... the girl was all but _invisible_ to her now.

"What's wrong, _Raven_? Can't you find the weak and defenseless villain?" came a mocking and disembodied voice from somewhere around her. She quickly spun and lashed out with a burst of black energy, but was only rewarded by the sound of stone being torn asunder. The massive vaulting ceilings of the church made it impossible to tell where the voice was coming from.

"What did you do, Jinx? Stop hiding and _fight_ me!" She could already feel her control slipping, anger and uncertainty starting to creep into her consciousness. Hesitantly she floated forward, straining her ears to hear for any movement her rival might make.

"Now, Rae, why would I want to do _that_? After all, you said that I couldn't _possibly_ beat you. You're the _big bad Titan_ and I'm just the pathetic villain of the week!" The cat eyed girl's voice was a mixture of mocking sarcasm and bitter anger.

Just for a second, she _saw it_! A brief concentration of Jinx's energy off to her side as the girl used her power. Unfortunately, she couldn’t retaliate as she followed the trajectory of the attack to a massive chandelier above her head. She only had time to form an onyx shield before the massive wooden structure crashed into her with a sound like thunder. A quick flash of power scattered the remains of the wood away from her, but it was far too late to locate the elusive sorceress.

"You just think you're so much damn _better_ than me, don't you? Did you think I was just gonna roll over and die just because you _said so_?" The voice came again, angrier this time, but still echoing from all corners of the enormous stone structure.

Another surge of power, right _behind_ her this time! She spun quickly to face the attack, and a devastating attack it was. A veritable _wave_ of fate bending force literally tearing down the center of the church, overturning pews and sending stone flying as it followed its destructive path to her. With a grand gesture, the Titan sorceress raised an impenetrable ebony wall of force before herself.

The irresistible force met the immovable object in an explosive display of pyrotechnics. Raven's hastily erected barrier buckled, wavered, and ultimately _shattered_ under the onslaught of her serendipitous opponent. The violet eyed youth was sent flying to land in a painful heap in the center of the church.

Without bothering to rise, Raven lashed out with a talon of dark telekinesis. Standing near the entrance, still shining brightly from the massive attack she had just unleashed, was Jinx, hunched and breathing in ragged gasps. Jinx saw the attack coming and nimbly leapt to the side before it could slam her into the rubble. Not quite fast _enough;_ Raven shifted her mental construct just enough and caught the lithe villain's ankle before she could get clear. Then with a feat of will, she sent the girl flying from one end of the church clear to the other.

She was satisfied with Jinx's frantic yell as the girl flew and then by the crash as she slammed heavily against a wall and collapsed to the ground. Unfortunately, she didn't realize her mistake until too late as Jinx vanished from her view and blended into the ambient energy filling the church once more.

Raven launched several raw energy blasts to where she last heard the girl land, but was rewarded with only the sound of stone splitting once more; her opponent must have rolled out of the way as soon as she had landed. Still, she felt a little of her confidence returning, Jinx may be all but invisible while they were in the church, but she had to give away her position every time that she used her powers.

"I don't know how your figured out how to hide yourself like this, but it seems like your little plan is backfiring. Every time you use your power you give yourself away, so it's only a matter of time before I catch you and end this fight for good," she explained to her stubborn opponent.

" _Pfft_ , when did you get so _damned_ arrogant, Raven? Do you think you're the _only one_ with tricks up their sleeves? Mousse figured out your little energy sensing trick as soon as he had a chance to sit down and think about it. He _is_ an Amazon too, after all, or did you think he wouldn't recognize one of his own techniques?" She spun around several times, but Jinx's voice still failed to reveal her location. _Damnit_! The Hive sorceress seemed to know exactly where to hide in this building. Another spark of power gained her attention, just a small flash and it didn't seem to go anywhere, but she lashed out at it anyway. A blade of midnight black energy flashed out from her outstretched hand and slashed viciously at the spot the energy had been.

" _Oooh_ , Raven! You _naughty_ girl, you just blasted the church’s Crucifix! Heh, guess I shouldn't be surprised that a _demon_ girl like you wouldn't have any respect for religion." The unseen witch snickered mockingly. Raven cringed at that, true she didn't follow any of the Earth's religions, but she didn't like the idea of accidentally destroying religious artifacts either.

"Oh, and _Rae Rae_..." came the disembodied voice again, letting the taunt hang in the air.

"You're not the only one to learn _new tricks_." Raven's eye's widened in shock, the last words being whispered gently right into her _ear_!

She didn't even have time to react before she felt a narrow elbow slam painfully into her solar plexus, knocking her onto her back and blasting the air from her lungs. As quickly as she could, and wheezing desperately for air at the same time, she rolled onto her stomach and started to push herself up to her feet.

Only to be flipped over onto her back again by a boot to her stomach. She cringed in pain, her arms instinctively covering her bruising and injured midsection. Desperately, she scanned around her, but nothing became apparent. Raven _still_ couldn't sense Jinx, not even when the girl was right next to her!

"Did you really think that all I did with Ryouga was make out? ...Well... actually that's what I _would_ have preferred, but I'm sure that _you_ of all people would know how shy that guy is," Jinx taunted, giggling mockingly. "Ryouga, Mousse, Kunou, even _Happosai_ , they _all_ gave me a few pointers. Let me tell you, training with Ryouga is probably the most intense thing you'll ever experience, but judging by how _soft_ you are, I'm guessing you never bothered to did you? And Mousse, he's one smart duck, like I said, he's the one that told me _how_ you could still see. And Happi? Happi was the one that taught me _how_ to fill the church with my energy. I gotta say, it's probably the _only_ advantage to being an A-cup, but that old pervert sure knows his stuff."

Agonizingly, Raven used the time that Jinx was monologuing to her advantage, slowly dragging herself to her feet. Warily, she continued to turn, trying vainly to locate her opponent. "You'll use any dirty trick that you can to win, won't you Jinx?" she asked hotly.

She was rewarded for her bravado with a dainty fist crushing into her jaw and sending her spinning painfully into an overturned pew. This time Jinx's rebuttal was empty of humor, now it was filled with anger.

"You self righteous _hypocrite_! You go and train under a master martial artist and learn new tricks and it's all good, but if I do _exactly_ the same thing then it's a _dirty trick_? You're just jealous cuz I'm not _totally_ dependent on my power like you and I actually know how to _fight_!"

Another punch, this one landed painfully on her lower back, impacting her kidney painfully. Quickly she spun and waved her arm grandly, a massive arc of razor-sharp energy trailing her limb and slashing at stones along the entire wall of the church.

" _Aah_!" the cry shocked her, especially since it was her own. A powerful hand wrapped around her wrist just as she completed her sweeping attack and a disorienting second later, she found herself lying on her back on the cold stone floor. Her entire back was numb, and her arm was shooting with pins and needles.

Another second later and she felt the hard rubber sole of a boot pressing painfully onto her chest. "You can't beat me _this_ time, Raven. Ryouga _loves_ me and I love him!" Raven felt the boot grind into her sensitive chest angrily.

"And I would do anything for him!" Snarled the witch savagely.

" _Anything_." The last word was just a whisper.

* * *

Mousse dashed down yet another corridor before slipping down a side path to continue his run. His mad dash wasn't without a purpose any longer. Now he knew he was embroiled in a deadly game of tag. He had no idea _who_ it was that was stalking him. Whoever it was, they were _extremely_ fast, possibly even faster than himself. They were also expertly hiding their battle aura, no small feat considering they were hiding it from _him_. In fact, he hadn't even lain eyes on his would-be pursuer, but still he _knew_ he was being followed. His most primal instincts cried out to him where all his more conventional senses failed to detect anyone.

He felt a wicked smile forming on his face. He had always enjoyed hunting; Shampoo and he had always played at it when they were younger before they were even old enough to hunt for real. Admittedly, his beloved had always been a little better at it than him, but he was no slouch by any means. The brief reminder of his departed love spurred him to go faster. He desperately needed to vent his frustrations on someone, and his latest victim seemed more than eager to please.

Still, he couldn't deny the small thrill of excitement that ran down his spine as he took another seemingly random turn. Whoever he was playing this little game of ‘Cat and Mousse’ with they were exceptionally good. His smile widened even further as he continued the hunt.

Whoever was at the end of this chase, they were in for the surprise of their lives!

* * *

Angel felt a little nervous as she followed her rapidly bounding quarry. Not that the girl looked to be intimidating in any way. The girl’s rather bland leotard didn't impress her at all. Nor did the girls flowing ribbon disturb her in the slightest. No, it wasn't anything physical about the girl, no defining feature that made her doubt her ability to beat the girl.

It was that _laugh_! If it could even be called a laugh in the conventional sense. Not even the Headmaster's laugh held the same... unhinged note that the girl's laugh did.

The girl was fast, though, the winged villainess would give her that. Already the pony tailed girl had burst through the double doors and into the gymnasium, laughing madly the whole way. What the heck was so amusing about the gym anyways?

She got her answer when she burst through the doors and nearly lost her head to an airborne _workout bench_! The winged girl dove desperately and rolled under the bench as it slammed into the doors behind her. As soon as she finished her maneuver, she kicked off and took to the air. She was shocked to see the girl she had been chasing gesture daintily with her wrist and untie her ribbon from around the bench.

How on earth had that crazy girl thrown the bench with that flimsy little ribbon?

"Listen, girl, I have no idea _who_ you are, but if you think you can beat me with that a friggin _ribbon_ , then you're sadly mistaken!" she barked out confidently.

The girl’s response was to cover her mouth with the back of her hand and laugh in a strangely lady-like fashion.

" _Hohohoho_! Dear, sweet, peasant girl, I, Kodachi, the _Black Rose_ , have _no_ intention of using my ribbon to defeat you!" stated the girl haughtily. She then flicked her wrist again, her ribbon somehow snaked out and wrapped around the center of one of massive dumbbells on the floor and pulled taught. "Now _this_ on the other hand..."

Another flick of the gymnast's wrist and suddenly the massive set of weights was flying in her direction!

Angels eyes nearly bugged out of her helmet! Those weights had to weigh a couple hundred pounds and somehow that girl and sent them _flying_! Her shock nearly cost her as she just floated there, gaping in awe.

Her awe saved her, as she dropped heavily to the ground, having been too startled to even remember to flap her wings. The dumbbell passed through where she had been moments ago before smashing into the wall with enough force to become embedded in the metallic panels.

Angel quickly started to scramble away from her opponent as quickly as possible. Why did she always end up fighting all the _psychos_? First Beast Boy and now this girl? It wasn't _fair_! _She_ was supposed to be the bad guy here! Her confidence wasn't inspired any as, seemingly from nowhere, the gymnast pulled a delicate seeming gymnastics hoop from behind her back. Sure it didn't look like much, at least until the girl started sedately walking towards her and dragging the hoop along the metallic surface of the gyms wall, trailing a shower of sparks and screeching like a rusty nail being dragged across a chalkboard.

"Now, little birdy, I think it's time we _clipped_ those pesky wings of yours," offered the frighteningly smiling gymnast.

It was about this time that Angel started screaming.

* * *

The Headmaster stared in mute silence as the two ancient masters glared at each other over his collapsed form. Slowly, the two began to circle one another, taking measure and deciding upon their actions. He could only imagine the terrible destruction that would result from any battle which pitted these two against each other. The fact that he was currently sitting right at ground zero... well to say that he was nervous would be an understatement of a grand scope.

Suddenly, the two masters stopped circling and stood facing each other, like a pair of statues. As quietly as he could, the Headmaster slowly started to inch himself back to his feet. Hopefully, he'd be able to make his exit while these two were trying to psyche each other out.

Then the two started _glowing_! The old crone glowing with a bright silver light, her long white hair blowing as if caught in an unseen wind and her eyes blazing with yellow energy. Happosai was burning with a dark red aura; rather than the nimbus of light surrounding Cologne, his aura looked very much like a larger version of himself, even mimicking his movements. With each passing second, both aura's increased in intensity and the Headmaster was cowed by the sheer presence that both ancient masters were projecting.

He desperately wanted to flee, every fiber of his being was telling him that some massive explosion was imminent and that he likely wouldn't even survive the prelude let alone the actual event itself. And yet... he _couldn't_ bring himself to _move_! His sense of dread increased exponentially every moment as he watched both martial artists gathering the full extent of their power. He doubted that even the sky eclipsing attack which Ryouga had used against him when they had first met would compare to what he was about to witness in mere moments.

Then Happosai turned slightly to face him. "You might want to leave right about now, sonny boy."

And like that, the spell was broken. All at once the Headmaster found the use of his legs returned to him. Instantly, he was through the doors and running like a man possessed. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to get away from the apocalyptic event which was about to take place in his very own office. Almost as an after thought he used a small burst of his power to close the door behind him.

As if _that_ would do anything.


	19. The End… But not that one…: Part 3

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma One Half.

Enjoy if you will, tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Cologne turned to face the door through which the Headmaster fled moments ago.

"Is he gone now, Happi?" she asked, her aura still burning like a silver star.

The target of her wrath peered at the door a moment longer before turning back to face her. After another moment, the shrunken man nodded solemnly, his massive battle aura mimicking the motion exactly.

That knowledge secure in her mind, the aged matriarch tightened her grip on her not so aged staff. Her aura swelled, brightened... and then guttered out to nothing. An instant later Happosai's large aura also vanished in a wink. The two ancient martial artists laughed together, huge smiles splitting their wrinkle faces.

" _Ohohoho_! Happi, I think we made the young fool _wet_ himself!" she cried happily, wiping a small tear from the corner of her eye.

" _Heheh_ , I swear, Cologne, young people these days are so _gullible_! Did he actually think I would turn on my favorite students for a few pairs of _underwear_?" cackled the founder of the Anything goes style.

Cologne rolled her eyes. "Happi, you _would_ turn on your favorite students for a few pairs of underwear," she pointed out to her perverted companion.

The aged pervert looked down and kicked the dirt a bit with his toe. " _Sigh_ , I know, but the last few shipments that he stole for me were straight from the factory. What good are underwear that have never been _worn_! By the gods, Cologne, that fool boy didn't know _half_ as much as he thought he did, quantity is never a replacement for quality!"

Cologne could only shake her head and laugh. "Well, are you done with all this foolishness, then? Shall we go and see how the children are doing?" she asked, a smile still on her face.

Happosai nodded eagerly. "I certainly do, I can't _wait_ to see what happens when that Hibiki boy's memories are unblocked."

With that, the two ancient masters happily hopped out the door and into the complex.

* * *

Beast Boy followed Kasumi, Robin, and Starfire closely. He had no idea where the nice Japanese girl was taking them, but for some reason, he was fairly sure they could trust her. That wasn't to say that he wasn't still as confused as heck. Why on earth had the older girl released them? Wasn't she under the Headmaster's control like everyone else here? For that matter, why was a super wonderful girl like Kasumi working for these bad guys in the _first place_? She seemed more likely to be running an orphanage for lost puppies than operating out of an underground facility orchestrating global conquest.

What was even stranger, was that she had said it was that expletive deleted sister of hers that had ordered their release. Now that Nabiki girl, _she_ fit in this place like a glove, she threw around threats and ultimatums like she was born to do it. The young shape changer was still trying to wrap his head around the concept that the two girls were somehow _related_. Still, he had to wonder, why had Nabiki wanted them to escape? She hadn't exactly seemed like the compassionate type when she had been in the process of capturing them in the first place.

"Dudes! I'm totally confused here, what's goin on?" he asked his companions even as they continued their jog through the complex. Starfire returned his question with a questioning look of her own. It seemed obvious that she was just as much in the dark as he was. Robin however...

"Heh, it's pretty obvious now that I've had a second to think about it. Obviously Nabiki has decided that she's _done_ being a student and is staging a coup to overthrow whoever it is that's running this place. I suspect the reason that she let us go is to help her take him down, since she knows she's the lesser of two evils right now," explained their ingenious leader.

Starfire nodded in understanding. “I do believe that makes the sense. Also, by releasing us, she has indebted us to her, no doubt she will use that against us somehow."

"That's what I'm afraid of, she doesn't seem like the kind of person that would forget about a debt either," grumbled Robin, slamming a fist home into a gloved palm.

Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders. "So, what guys? She's the one that put us in those cages in the first place, I don't see how we owe her _anything_! Let's just lay a smack down on this Headmaster guy and then put away the rest of these HIVE losers!" he barked angrily.

"I think not varlets!" a booming voice cut him off and brought their small troop to a dead stop. Ahead of them a figure stepped around a corner and blocked their path. The figure was awfully familiar to the emerald Titan and he instantly started emitting a deep and feral growl at the sight of the sword carrying boy.

The tall robe wearing teen surveyed the four of them for a moment before bursting into speech.

"Philistines! Did you truly believe that you could escape while under the ever vigilante guard of my munificent person? For your arrogance I shall now be forced to thrash you all and return you from whence you came! I shall also punish you harshly for enslaving my beloved Akane's eldest sister to your sinister designs and forcing her to free you! Know this, the vengeance of Heaven is slow but sure, for now you now face the wrath of the _Blue Thunder_ , rising star of the HIVE academy, Kunou Tatewaki, age 19!" proclaimed the master swordsman. Behind the tall youth, the lighting system shorted out and several of the light fixtures exploded in dramatic flashes.

"How does he _do_ that?" muttered the emerald teen.

His two remaining teammates were at a loss from words, luckily for them, Kunou's speech was relatively short and sweet this time. Still, Robin recovered quickly and pulled his Bo staff from his utility belt.

"Titan's _GO_!" he yelled and prepared to charge the smirking swordsman. The masked Titan was completely flabbergasted when Beast Boy grabbed his shoulder and forcefully pulled him back and behind him. The shape changing Titan than glared at the masked teen for all he was worth.

"This one is _MINE_! You guy's go on ahead and I'll catch up!" he all but ordered his leader and the two ladies that accompanied them.

Kasumi quickly moved over and grabbed one of his hands. "But Beast Boy, you _can't_ , you're still injured and Kunou is the one that defeated you in the first place!" she cried, concern lacing her voice.

Starfire's eyes widened at hearing that. "Friend Beast Boy, we cannot leave you to face such a dangerous opponent by yourself. If we work together, we can surely defeat him easily," she pleaded with him.

Beast Boy's eyes narrowed. "Just like we all worked together to fight _Ryouga_ when we ran into him? Oh, wait, _you_ forced us all to leave and let you face an even more dangerous opponent by yourself. Starfire, Robin, I _have_ to fight this guy, but someone needs to take down the Headmaster. So, either you let me have my rematch or we can all stand here and argue until this whole _place_ collapses on our heads!" he growled angrily.

He looked to Robin for support, he was fairly sure that if anyone could understand it would be him. The two of them held each other gaze for several moments before Robin nodded, once and curtly.

"Be sure to catch up," offered the cape clad Titan. Robin then grabbed both girls and started leading them back the way they had came from, obviously to look for an alternative route.

As soon as they left, Beast Boy returned his furious gaze to the casual looking kendoist standing in his path. He was still pretty ticked about the harsh nature of his abduction and had been looking forward to a little payback from the time he had awoken. Thanks to Kasumi's tender ministrations, his ribs were doing way better, they hardly hurt at all anymore.

"It's time for you and me to _dance,_ dress-boy! And it ain't gonna end the same way it did last time," he uttered seriously.

Kunou returned his snarling grimace with a haughty smirk. "No, it shall not, ignoble dog... this battle will undoubtedly be infinitely more brief."

Beast Boy felt the corner of his mouth curl up in cruel amusement.

"Oh, you have _no_ idea."

* * *

The pigtailed heir to the Anything Goes school of martial arts had long since lost track of how much time had passed since the start of the fight with his fanged rival. Their prolonged and vicious duel had taken them up and down the street several times not to mention across several roof tops, a short trip through the sewer and the utter destruction of a nearby fast-food restaurant. They had even passed through the Billy Numerous mob a few times; the incidental casualties had been high on each pass, those guys just did _not_ know how to take a punch!

Now he stood, glaring at his rival, and hoping he didn't look nearly as bad as the Lost Boy, but deep in his heart knowing that he probably looked a little worse. His shirt was half gone, and his hair had nearly come out of its permanent pigtail completely. He felt a veritable library of bruises and contusions across his body, his nose was still smarting, but not broken as he had feared. All testaments to the ferocity of the fight that the wandering martial artist had put up. He had even lost one of his slippers!

Ryouga didn't look much better, the Lost Boy had long since run out of bandannas, his clothes were scuffed and torn as well. His opponent also had a few bumps and bruises, but a nagging sensation in the back of Ranma's mind told him that the Lost Boy was not nearly as injured looking as he should have been. He had been landing at least twenty blows to Hibiki's one!

The young Saotome greedily gulped in another lungful of sweet air, seeing his rival do the same. Ranma felt like his chest was working like a forge bellows keeping up the intensity of the battle. But strangely... strangely he felt _great_! Sure, he was beaten and bruised, but even as the battle was wearing him down, he was beginning to feel strangely rejuvenated. He looked to his hands, badly scraped and bleeding after pummeling his opponent's impossibly tough hide, already the dead and abused skin was flaking away, revealing newer and younger flesh just beneath, still flushed pink.

"Lookin pretty good there, Ryouga! You got some new training regimen to keep you in shape?" he asked between gasps for air, a smile forming on his face against his will.

Ryouga returned his unwilling smile. "Heh... must be - _huff -_ clean living paying off," he replied, "You know, you're doing really well too, Saotome. You're not _nearly_ as dead as I thought you'd be by now."

His rival's playful banter filled Ranma with a bit of hope. Maybe his friend wasn't nearly as lost to him as he had thought... well, mentally anyway, _geographically_ , that was beyond hope.

"Well, you know how stubborn I can be, eh buddy? How about we quit warming up and get to the actual fighting now?" he asked jokingly.

The fanged boy nodded once before getting back into his fighting stance. Ranma did the same, but this time decided to try to throw the Lost Boy off balance by going on the offensive first.

Instantly, he poured everything that he had into speed, he blurred as he passed through the space between the two of them. A fraction of a second later he was in Ryouga's face and already diving into a massively complex combo of kicks, punches, and elbows. He grimaced again as Ryouga calmly started back peddling and going nearly completely defensive.

Ever since the Lost Boy had dug himself out of that pile of rubble, he'd been acting completely different. Man, it'd be a heck of a time for Ranma to have _finally_ knocked some sense into his rival's head. The wandering martial artist’s defense was good, too, just like it had been when they had first fought. It hadn't been till after Ryouga had learned the _Bakusai Tenketsu_ that he'd really started to let his defense slide.

He lashed out with a kick to his opponent's floating rib, only to have it brushed aside. He followed it up with a lightning fast elbow to Ryouga's sternum, this one was too close and too fast for Ryouga to block, but Ranma felt the strike practically bounce off the Lost Boy's chest.

Really, he knew that single attacks like that wouldn't hurt the wandering warrior, he was just trying to force himself an opening so that he could unleash a more powerful attack like his chestnut fist to try to blast through the protection that the blasting point training granted him. It wasn't anything he wasn't used to dealing with, but it was far, far easier when Ryouga was totally focused on the attack. Now that the fanged fighter was trying to avoid getting hurt, it made the openings he needed fewer and further between.

The _last_ thing he wanted to do was to turn this into an endurance match with Ryouga.

_Ah ha_! A series of lighting fast jabs had led Ryouga's blocking arms higher and higher, protecting his face, then the pigtailed martial artist finally had the opening he needed. In a flash of speed that he _knew_ Ryouga couldn't match, he instantly switched from his high attacks to a full blown _Amaguriken_ assault on the Lost Boy's vulnerable abdomen! Both fists lashed out so fast he thought the air between them might combust. Ryouga's frame shuddered and shook under the furious assault until Ranma finally ended with a powerful open handed strike to his sternum, launching the Lost Boy through the air to smash into and _through_ a parked minivan before coming to a rest embedded in a nearby wall.

He allowed a small smirk to form on his lips as he watched the masonry crumble and disintegrate around his opponent even as the car doors that were embedded in the wall behind the fanged boy seemed to be stopping it from collapsing. So much for his rival’s new defensive fighting style, the guy was _good_ , but Ranma was still the _best_.

He began to turn to help Akane, when a quiet chuckle brought him to a dead stop.

Quickly he looked up to the sky above himself and muttered. "Why, oh _why_ does this always happen to me?"

With that he turned to face the not _nearly_ as surprising as it should have been sight of Ryouga pulling himself out of the wall and brushing off his chest. The Lost Boy then looked back at him through the remains of the minivan with a wicked smirk of his own.

"What the heck was _that,_ Ranma? Did you start wearing _mittens_ when you do the chestnut fist now?" taunted his enemy, "I think all those love taps you were giving me built up some static cling in my shirt."

Ranma gaped as he watched Ryouga casually wave his arm in front of his shirt, watching in amusement as the tiny hairs stood on end when they came close to the small area where every single one of Ranma's strikes had hit. The Lost Boy didn't even look _winded_ , let alone _hurt_! That had been a _full out_ attack, he hadn't held _anything_ back. That strike should have had Ryouga on the ground coughing up blood, not cracking wise!

"You think that's so funny! Try _this_ on for size! _Mouko Takabisha_!" As quickly as he could, he pulled his chi together into a loose and fast sphere and launched it. It wasn't nearly as powerful as a normal one, but it served its purpose, catching Ryouga completely off guard and blasting him back into the hole he had just climbed out of. Using the distraction, he then leapt back a good fifty feet and started to build up for a full powered version of his confidence powered attack.

Ryouga might have seemed all but immune to physical attacks for some reason, but the _Mouko Takabisha_ would attack his chi directly, bypassing all the physical conditioning the boy had. Of course, Ryouga's chi was every bit as tough as the boy was himself, in fact Ranma had to grudgingly admit that Ryouga possessed an even deeper well of chi than Ranma himself did. But Ryouga seemed to be in a good mood today, not to mention the Lost Boy was spouting off about being in love with that Jinx girl. Maybe, just maybe Ryouga's chi attack wouldn't be at full power.

The Lost Boy in question pulled himself out of the masonry hole once more, coughing and wincing slightly in pain even as smoke wafted up from his newly singed clothing. Immediately, the wanderer looked in his direction and saw what he was doing. Quickly his rival dropped into his familiar stance and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. Even from this distance, Ranma could feel the slight downward pull of Ryouga's chi.

Well, it was time to see if he was right.

" _MOUKO TAKABISHA!"_

_"SHI SHI HOUKODAN!"_

Ranma's golden sphere of radiant chi flew like a cruise missile. On a direct intercept course for his attack was the azure sphere of Ryouga's manifested despair. Just as Ranma expected, both attacks met in the area almost directly between the two of them, but as Ranma had only half expected, the Shishi Houkodan _shattered_ like glass, letting his chi blast pass through unhindered.

Ryouga only had time to yelp in disbelief as the four-foot sphere of golden energy, ironically trailing a comet like tail of his own azure chi, crashed into him with the force of a freight train. For a third time he was smashed into the wall behind him. Three strikes and out was the rule for this wall however, this time he was smashed through the wall completely, not to mention two or three interior walls as he was carried along on the crushing orb of his rival’s arrogance.

" _Yes_!" cheered the pigtailed youth! He'd been right, Ryouga was so _happy_ about being with Jinx that his _Shi Shi Houkodan_ was little more than a fancy light show!

Wait a second! Ryouga was _actually_ happy about being here with Jinx? But he thought that the big lug had just been _brainwashed_ or something, but to have his chi so deeply affected... There had to be _something_ real in that.

Ranma let out a sigh. What did that mean? Did Jinx like Ryouga back? Or was she just using him? Ranma didn't want to be responsible for causing the Lost Boy to lose yet another girl that he loved. He looked over to the church where he had seen the two super powered girls vanish before the entrance collapsed. Well, he supposed the Nerima way of doing things could always work. He could just beat up Ryouga and then see which of the girls come out on top from that fight. Ryouga always believed in the girl going to the winner of a fight; Ranma was sure that Ryouga would go along with whoever won the fight for him.

Ranma let out another beleaguered sigh as he casually sidestepped the minivan that hurtled through the air towards him. The heap of scrap metal crashed into the ground and crumpled like a massive tin can beside him.

It appeared that his little break was over.

* * *

Cyborg dove to the side to avoid another of his opponent's attacks. Even as he skidded across the floor, trailing a shower of sparks, he carefully aimed his left arm and fired. This time his elbow exploded in a burst of blue flame as small rockets roared to life and launched his entire forearm at See-more. He smirked as the villain in training dove to the side to avoid the flying limb. The Titanium Titan used the distraction he just bought himself to get back to his feet and reconfigure his sonic cannon.

"You're a one trick pony, See-more, that force field of yours is startin to get old!" he yelled even as he fired his powerful sonic cannon once more.

The blast collided harshly with See-more's hastily erected barrier. "Slow and steady wins the race big guy! It's only a matter of time before you mess up. Besides, I don't see _you_ doing anything but using that big gun of yours!" replied his annoying adversary.

Cyborg smiled wider, diverting all the power from the energy cell used to power the sonic cannon in his left arm to his right arm. "It takes more than fancy toys and powers to win a fight, punk!"

He felt the surge of power building in his right arm, every panel starting to glow neon blue and arcs of energy crackling up the lengths of his super charged limb.

"It's the _man_ that makes the fighter, not the weapons!" he yelled loudly. Then he fired again, this time the beam from his cannon was a massive torrent of barely controlled sonic waves that caused the entire room to quake from the vibrations. The beam, nearly double its original diameter, crashed into See-more's barrier like a bulldozer, easily pushing the sphere back across the room. He kept up the attack as long as he could, noticing the panicked look that spread across his enemy’s face as cracks and fissures started to form in the eye that surrounded him.

Slowly, slowly the attack pushed the boy back, slowly the shield began to crack and buckle, slowly Cyborg's limb began to glow a slightly disturbing red color and spark uncomfortably. It was only a matter of time before something gave.

Cyborg stared in shock as the casings running up the entire length of his arm cracked and shattered from the intense strain he had placed on his cannon. Instantly, his trusty cannon died and his attack vanished. The massive Titan slumped to his knees, drained considerably by his last-ditch effort.

" _Ha_! I _told_ you that you couldn't beat me! Heh, all that talk about the powers not making the fighter, well whose more powerful _now,_ loser?" boasted the cycloptic villain even as he pumped his fists into the air and cheered himself on.

Cyborg smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "More powerful, less powerful, all I know is that _I'm_ not the one in a cage."

He smiled wider as See-more's single eye widened in shock. Helpfully he pointed over to the far wall, the villain had just enough time to turn and see Cyborgs errant hand flip a switch on the control panel. Everything that the Hive student saw after that was tinted yellow by the security force field that now contained him so securely within. Immediately the young boy started pounding on the force field and trying everything he could to escape while shouting at the top of his lungs.

Smugly Cyborg retrieved his arm and reattached it, he then walked over to the bubble now holding See-more and tapped it with his knuckles. A moment later he gave an appreciative whistle.

"Ya know, Gizmo sure is getting better at these things, but then I'm sure someone like _you_ will appreciate all the added protection that you're getting now."

With that, still smiling widely, the large cybernetic Titan left to rejoin his friends.

* * *

Shampoo noticed the tiny scuff mark on the floor that wasn't there moments ago when she had been around this corridor earlier. Her quarry was elusive, but she was starting to close the net now, the layout of the section of the complex they were stalking through was beginning to become familiar now. She couldn't begin to express the joy she was feeling now. Her prey was clever, able to mask their presence and move without a sound. But whoever they were, they were making tiny mistakes here and there.

She hit another intersection and literally threw herself to the right, if her instincts were correct, her target would be coming through this very intersection in a matter of seconds. Deftly she drew back her _chui_ and prepared to ambush the poor fool whom she had been hunting. The nearly non existent sound of feet rapidly flying down the hallway she had just occupied and a flash of motion were all the warning she received before she lashed out with her weapon with all the force she could muster!

* * *

Mousse recoiled from the attack, just barely getting his sword in front of him before his skull was smashed open. He growled and back pedaled to get some space from the purplish blur before him. He knew that his opponent had been a fraction of a step ahead of him the whole time, but to have been ambushed like he had.

Whoever it was, they _were_ good. He was about to dive in and attack the vaguely familiar blur when -

" _Aiyah_! Is Evil Mousse!"

_THAT VOICE_! As quickly as he could, he dropped his sword to the ground with a clatter and ripped a pair of glasses from his sleeves. A second later his vision was marginally improved and the most beautiful and glorious vision he could hope to imagine stood before him.

It was _her_! He felt tears start pouring down his cheeks like waterfalls as his heart burst with joy. He had thought he would _never_ see her again, that she was gone for good.

Almost tentatively he started to reach out to his once and future goddess, almost afraid that she might vanish at his slightest touch.

"I-is that _really_ you, Sha-" Wait a second... what was she doing with that-

A blur of bright colors filled his vision, a second before everything went black.

* * *

A deft twist of her spatula sent the second of the golden energy weapons flying from the dark-skinned girl’s hands in as many minutes. Unfortunately, the move cost her as the shield bearing boy swung around to her unprotected side and landed a heavy fist to her lower back.

A grunt of pain escaped her lips, but she quickly ducked down under a sloppy hay maker from the bee clad girl and launched a back kick into the abdomen of the boy behind her. The strike sent the blue wearing boy skidding a few feet back and Ukyou quickly swung back up with an uppercut to the villainess' jaw.

She gasped again when the girl caught her fist in the palm of her hand. The bee girl's strength was _monstrous_ , probably a little less than Ryouga's. As such there wasn't much, she could do when she felt the irresistible pull of the girls throw sending her flying across the room. Luckily the girl was so strong, it just meant she was in the air long enough to reorient herself and land safely on the other side of the room.

Ukyou didn't have much time to recover though, the boy and girl both already charging to her position. The chef allowed herself a short moment of annoyance. The boy seemed to have improved slightly since the last time she had fought him, and the girl was frightfully strong and had several unusual powers. The main annoyance was the fact that she knew that alone she could probably beat either of her opponents without too much trouble. However, together the two of them were proving to be much more troublesome.

A second later and they were in a blur of combat again, fists, feet, spatulas, and shield flashing through the air with wild abandon. The chef swallowed massive breaths of air as quickly as she could. They had been fighting for several minutes already and her only advantages of skill, speed and reach were slowly being eroded away by her opponent's advantages of strength, toughness, and numbers.

Unfortunately, she had long since run out of throwing spatulas and her grill had been destroyed. It seemed to be more fate than anything that she hadn't lost her combat spatula yet, true it was an excellent weapon, but compared to the girls massive strength and whatever exotic alloy the boy's shield was made of, she was surprised it hadn't been damaged yet.

She continued her frenzied dodging and attacking, weaving between punches, ducking under shield swipes and counter attacking whenever possible. As good as she was though, it seemed like the outcome of this battle was all but inevitable. As much as she hated to admit it, unless Kodachi or someone else showed up... she could be in trouble.

And suddenly, all at once, her premonition came true. So, enthralled in her struggle to stay alive, the young chef forgot to pay attention to her surrounding. She knew instantly that the fight was over as soon as her foot came down on something both slippery and sticky as she was slowly backing away from the two combatants.

For a second, just a second, her balance was destroyed, and she flailed wildly to regain it. That was all the time it took for the bee striped girl to jump up and kick the spatula from her hands and for the blue and yellow clad boy to slam his shield into her face with enough force to send her slamming to the ground.

She had just enough time to look down at her foot and glare at her undoer.

A small section of her own _yakisoba_ rope!

Then her vision was dimmed by the shadow of the boy standing above her. The young villain glared down at her, victory carved into his features with a feral smile and madly shining eyes. Above his head, now held in both hands, was his hexagonal shield, one of the sharp corners pointing down and likely destined for her throat.

Deciding not to go out like a coward, Ukyou locked eyes with her executioner rather than cringe and look away. With a howl of triumph, the young man brought the shield down with all his might, just as she had predicted, the point was aimed right at her trachea. She didn't flinch though, not for a second as the deadly sheet of metal howled through the air to end her lif -

The shield stopped just a foot away from her face, then the boy’s eyes rolled up into his skull and slowly he began to topple to the side. The young okonomiyaki chef released the breath she hadn't known she was holding in a long sigh of relief. Why did her friends _always_ have to cut things like this so close!

"Sheesh, Kodachi! You sure took your time didn't... you?" her question died on her lips as she looked up to her rescuer. The girl stood proudly, a wide smile pasted on her face and Ukyou's now dented spatula draped across her shoulders.

" _What_?" asked Bumble Bee, her insufferable smile only widening at the shocked expression that almost certainly was pasted on Ukyou's face.

"Were you expecting Supergirl?"

* * *

Beast Boy smiled as he narrowly avoided another of Kunou's deadly slashes. The kendoist was every bit as fast and skilled as he remembered, in fact, he was pretty sure that even if his ribs had been fine, the outcome probably would have been the same, it just would have taken longer.

But then, he had always been the least skilled fighter of all the Titans. What was the point of learning martial arts when every animal that you changed into had completely different body mechanics?

At least that's what Cologne told him.

* * *

"Bah! You're _hopeless_ as a martial artist, boy!" grumbled the ancient crone in a frustrated voice. She then shook her head and stalked away, obviously considering her options. Her criticisms made him feel lousy, his head hanging in shame.

Just as quickly as the old woman turned away, she turned back and continued her lecture.

"To be honest, it's no fault of yours, but rather of your very nature. In retrospect my initial plans for you were ill conceived. I had thought to teach you the animal forms of Kung Fu from our village, but now I realize how foolish that idea was. Our styles are based on mimicking the movements of animals and adapting them to our physiology. If I were to teach you the Tiger style, I would in essence be teaching your tiger form how to fight like a person that is pretending to be a tiger!" she crowed in amusement.

He snickered himself. "Heh, yeah, that sounds pretty goofy when ya put it like that, Granny. But if you ain't gonna teach me how to do Kung fu, then what are you gonna do?" he asked.

The matriarch looked at him intently now, he could almost see the gears turning in her head. "I'm not exactly sure, yet. I will give it some thought over the next few days. I have a small side project I need to work on out in the woods with Ryouga and your joyous young friend, perhaps I will think of something then," she told him.

He nodded. "Sweet! So, I get the next couple days off while you're out torturing Ryouga and Star?"

He winced at the impact of her staff across his head.

"I don't _torture_ , I _train_! And as for you, I have already thought of a regimen for you to work on for the next several days while I'm busy, and I expect you to do _exactly_ as I say boy."

He gulped slightly at the intense look she pinned him with.

* * *

He dodged back again before morphing into a Lion and surging forward at the swordsman, fangs and claws bared. With speed and strength borne of years of training, Kunou brought his sword across and caught his leonine form just barely holding back his razor claws and snapping jaws.

Letting his animal instincts run free, he let loose with a massive roar right into the fool’s face. Kunou's hair rustled in the gust he created, and the changeling could see a few drips of nervous sweat rolling down the taller boy’s brow. It appeared that even a master swordsman could get a little nervous with a three-hundred-pound cat inches away from their face.

Then with a mighty heave, Kunou sent him tumbling back and shuffled back himself to gain some room. Quickly he morphed back to his elfin form and rolled back to his feet. Again, his smile widened.

The kendoist seemed to be put off by his constant smiling. "Fool! Why do you smile in the face of certain defeat? Despite your recover, you are still woefully under skilled to ever hope to defeat one such as myself!" he boasted loudly.

"Dude, I got _no skill at all_! And that's why I'm gonna _beat ya_!" he shot back cockily.

* * *

The emerald Titan groaned loudly and dropped himself on one of the benches lining the side of Colognes living room. Ever since Perfume had taken over his training, he'd barely been able to think straight after a day of work. It was bad enough that the woman was drilling him mercilessly in the basic techniques of Amazon wushu, but Spice was just a little _too_ willing to plant his face in the dirt during their practice.

His mental rant was cut off when the door slammed open loudly and he could hear the familiar voice of the aged owner of the house. She didn't sound overly happy, considering that she was currently stringing together an impressive set of curses.

You always learn the swear words of a new language first, that's just the unwritten rule.

About the only thing he could pick out of her rant was something about some meddling elder cluttering up her students mind with useless techniques. After that the old woman noticed him and hopped over to speak to him.

"Pack your things, boy, it appears I can't leave well enough alone in this village without _someone_ interfering in my business," she ordered him.

A few hours later he found himself alone in the woods with Cologne. "Umm, so what are we doing way out here Granny?" he asked, slightly confused by the rapid transition.

Rather than answer his question, the old woman offered one of her own. "Tell me this, boy, why does a man try to fight like a tiger? Or a praying mantis, or a crane?" she inquired cryptically.

Hmm, good question... he mulled it over for a few moments. "Uh, because they fight better than people?"

One of her eyebrows quirked up at that. " _Hmph_ , a simple enough explanation I suppose. But considering whom I'm trying to explain this concept to, I think it will work." She eyed him knowingly.

Hey there! That wasn't very nice!

"Humans created animal-based fighting styles by watching animals in nature, but tell me this, where did the _animals_ learn to fight. Obviously, every animal has methods and movements which are perfectly suited to their physiologies as well as to their natures, hence why there are so many different variations on animal martial arts. So where do all of these different animals learn to fight?" she asked again.

He was starting to feel a little more confident now, after all, he watched the discovery channel!

"Well, some of it they learn from their parents, and from playing with siblings when they're young! But I think most of it comes from instinct. Hey, did you ever see that show that had that mouse on it! Somehow the mouse could avoid the strike of a snake, even in complete darkness! At first they thought that the mouse's reflexes were so fast that they bordered on precognition, but then they found out that the mouse's instincts were just so developed from generations of avoiding snakes, that it just knew the tiny indications of a snake’s strike so instinctively, that it's body was avoiding the snake on auto pilot before the mouse even knew the snake was there!"

He was so excited about sharing his obscure knowledge of animals that his voice grew increasingly faster and higher pitched until finally he finished his exposition, gasping for breath.

Cologne looked back at him, eyes wide and unblinking. "Um... no, I hadn't seen that particular program. However, strangely enough, you've hit the nail on the head. Animals have evolved their reactions to danger over thousands of years, thus everything that a tiger does when it hunts, or a crane does when it is protecting its eggs, every action is veritably preprogrammed if you will. It is humanities greatest advantage but also it's greatest weakness, that over the millennium, we have forgotten how to listen to our instincts, instead coming to rely upon conscious thought and reason to solve our problems."

She moved up to him and poked him in the chest with her new staff. "You, I could teach you a _thousand_ different styles, one for every animal that you could change into. I _could_ do this, of course it would likely take ten thousand years, and I don't think either of us have that kind of time. _Or_! Or I can get you in touch with your more primal instincts. Think on _that_ , spending years learning various styles which are basically mockeries of the natural order, or instantly having access to the _thousands of years_ of conditioning and instincts of all of your animal forms at once." She let her statement hang in the air.

Heh, sounded like an obvious choice to him. "So, when do we get started!"

* * *

"Animalistic knave! An entire _herd_ of lions could not hope to defeat a warrior poet such as myself! Why do you continue this pointless battle!" cried the irate swordsman.

True, he hadn't laid a claw on Kunou yet. What could he say? The guy was _good_. But neither had Kunou really landed a good hit on him either.

But he was starting to _really feel_ it now, his ears twitched excitedly, his nostrils flared hungrily with every breath and his chest heaved with the force of a small hurricane. He could feel the adrenaline flowing through his veins, he was scarcely even touching the ground anymore, bouncing back and forth quickly on his toes, his legs bent and ready to pounce and his knuckles brushing the ground from time to time. He could literally smell the frustration that surrounded the swordsman and loved every second of it.

"Hey, _jerk_! Lions hunt in prides! Don't you know nuthin?" with that he loped in with speed that startled even himself. He didn't even bother morphing this time before taking a swipe at the kendoist with his bare hand. Heck, he didn't know _why_ he did that, but it just _felt right_ to do it. What did surprise him, and shocked his opponent, were the four small scratches that appeared on the blade of the wooden sword when Kunou blocked his attack.

Unfortunately, Kunou recovered from his shock first. He lashed out with a blindingly fast horizontal slash that caught the changeling completely off guard and nailed him heavily in the chest. The blow sent him skidding back down the hallway several feet before he skidded to a stop, holding his badly aching chest.

"And so, it ends," dramatized the swordsman. The much taller youth than began to glide forward, raising his weapon for the finishing blow. "In what world could a boy such as yourself possibly hope to defeat a man like me?"

Slowly the dark wooden blade raised into the air, then, like the silent decent of a guillotine it descended through the air with deadly intent.

* * *

Beast Boy woke with a start. He looked around in confusion... it took him a few seconds to realize that he was still in the clearing that Cologne had brought him a few days ago. That was odd... why was he waking up? He didn't remember falling asleep at all! The last thing he remembered was working with Cologne on some of her crazy instinct exercises.

His ears perked to the sound of a piece of wood repeatedly impacting with the ground coming in his direction. Obviously, Cologne coming to check on him, the sound of her approach and the scent told him all he needed to know without him even needing to turn to face her.

Hey! That was _cool_! How did he do that?

"Awake already! Quite impressive, I would have thought you would have been unconscious for much longer, considering," stated the old woman behind him.

Huh? Unconscious? He turned to face her. "What? What do you mean unconscious, why would I be _unconscious_?" he asked. His confusion took second place to mind blowing shock as soon as he turned around.

Cologne looked like she had been in a battle... with a _woodchipper_! Her hair was a mess, and her robes were torn in several places, she also appeared to be on her second new staff since he had met her.

"What the heck happened to _you_? Did the Mongols attack while I was asleep?" he asked, stark disbelief in his voice.

"Bah, as if _Mongols_ could hope to match a master of my skills. But if you must know, the answer to both of your questions is one and the same, the reason for you being unconscious and the reason for my current appearance," she replied speaking and smiling cryptically.

His patience was long since gone by this point, everything was getting way too weird for him. "Well? What _is it_?"

Colognes smile only widened. "It seems that surprises can be found in the most _unlikely_ of places, young Garfield. Of all of your friends, I must admit you were the _last_ one that I would have suspected of having a hidden power, but you have proved me wrong, nearly _dead_ wrong for that matter." The old woman's strange chuckle sounded like the rustle of fallen leaves.

"What are you talking about, Granny?"

She gazed at him, a wickedly excited look in her eye. "Let's just say that we've had a breakthrough in your training."

"Now all we have to do is figure out how to _control it!_ _Ohohoho_!"

* * *

Kunou nearly shrieked in astonishment as the fatal decent of his blade was brought to a sudden and impossible halt. Kneeling on the ground before him, against all reason, the emerald youth sat, his bare hand upraised and clenched in a tiny fist around the kendoist's sword. He pulled with all his might, but to no avail, his noble weapon would not move!

His attention was drawn away from his blade when the young Titan looked up to face him. Kunou shuddered slightly at the bestial rage that swam in those liquid jade orbs.

"Heh, you're pretty good at beating up the boy, Kunou, lets see how you do with the **_Beast_**!" snarled the youth, his voice thick and irregular.

Kunou could only watch in mute horror as another transformation began before him.

A second later, he abandoned the worthless piece of wood that his adversary was still holding and started running down the corridors as quickly as his sandals would carry him.

A few moments later his speed doubled when he heard the unearthly howl behind him.

" ** _AAWWWHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!**"

* * *

" _AAWWWHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!"

The Headmaster skidded to a stop in his frantic run through the facility.

What in the name of all that was holy had _that_ been?

* * *

" _Aawwwhhhooooooooooooooooo_ …"

The Saotome heir cocked his head to the side. He wasn't sure what it had been, it had been faint, and seemed to come from the church...

He back flipped out of the range of Ryouga's wild punch before skidding and stumbling and coming to rest his shoulder heavily on a nearby building. His breath was coming in ragged gasps and his limbs had long since started screaming in pain at the buildup of lactic acid from the intense battle. He wasn't much more hurt that he was a few minutes ago, but now he felt as if he was already one foot in the grave from exhaustion.

His plan to defeat Ryouga with chi blasts had backfired on him! Sure, he was hurting the Lost Boy, but each Mouko Takabisha took more out of him than throwing a hundred of his heaviest punches. Now he was exhausted, and his chi was so depleted that he doubted he could dent a paper bag with his chi attack.

His only consolation was that Ryouga wasn't much better off. He watched as Ryouga spun around completely from the force of his missed punch and slammed heavily into a nearby sports car, crushing and deforming the frame of the vehicle until he was practically sitting in the passenger's seat.

No longer was the Lost Boy bumped and bruised, now he was bloody and beaten, not to mention smoking excessively from a half a dozen or so direct hits from his rival's chi blast. The boy had given up all pretense of trying to match Ranma after the first contest was decided, after that he had tried purely to defend or evade the dangerous attacks. Obviously, his success rate was rather spotty.

But every attack that he had avoided might as well have been a full-blown attack delivered straight to Ranma. So much wasted effort and wasted energy went into those missed attacks.

So, there they were, Ranma relatively unhurt but exhausted beyond words, and Ryouga relatively fit but battered from the barrage of chi blasts. They stared at each other intently, his expression as unreadable as his rival’s. Everything else was just background noise now, it was just him and Ryouga, nothing else mattered, nothing except the next few seconds. He knew that the fight was going to be over in the next exchange, he just didn't have anything left for anymore.

He could tell that Ryouga was thinking the same thing. The Lost Boy was on his last legs just as much as Ranma was, nor was he making any attempt at bravado to hide the fact. This was a man to man fight, the true expression of their souls, Ryouga could no more lie to him right now than Ranma could lie to his rival.

Ranma smiled widely, a joyous smile free from arrogance and superiority. Ryouga returned it whole heartedly, his smile free from anger and depression. Whatever had started the fight was long forgotten. No longer was this battle over good or evil, love or hate, it didn't matter if Ryouga was brainwashed or not, all those matters seemed so trivial and far away compared to this competition between rivals.

They shared a nod, a mutual signal that it was time to end it.

Then the fight was on.

The wall behind Ranma shattered to dust as he blasted off from it towards his closest rival. The car entombing Ryouga exploded into a blossom of scrap metal as he launched himself at the Saotome heir.

Their attacks were so fast that it was almost impossible to tell what limb belonged to which martial artist. Kicks, punches, strikes of all sorts flew with the wild and desperate abandon that comes from knowing that the next attack would likely be your last.

Ryouga lashed out with a backhand that would deform a vault door only to have Ranma leap up and corkscrew madly in the air to avoid the attack. Ranma then retaliated with a devastating spinning hook kick which Ryouga caught jarringly on crossed arms, the force pushing the Lost Boy back several feet.

A fraction of a second later they crashed back together, once more blurring into action. The wild horse was starting to get desperate. He knew if he didn't finish this soon, his body was going to give out on him, he just couldn't match endurance with his rival.

Almost as if by magic just the opportunity that he was looking for presented itself. Ryouga stumbled slightly after blocking his last attack to his abdomen. It left a perfect opening at the fanged boy's undefended head.

It was a gamble he knew, he was so exhausted, but he had to take it. Channeling all the chi he had left, he launched into a chestnut fist, aiming every single one of his strikes directly to the Lost Boy's temple.

The strikes started to land heavily, already he could see the fanged fighter's eyes cross slightly.

But then his arm gave out... after only a dozen strikes his aim completely died and all the power left his arm, his precision attack faded into a half-hearted series of light taps raining across Ryouga's upper body.

He felt something internal make a strange squelching sensation and felt bile rising in his throat as Ryouga's fist buried itself in his gut. Slowly, like a falling leaf, he collapsed against his rival's side, draped weakly over the Lost Boy's outstretched arm.

The fight was over... he... had _lost_...

Then he felt space under his feet as Ryouga grabbed his collar and hoisted him up and off the ground with one of his arms. The wandering warrior wavered slightly himself just holding Ranma up like he was, but Ranma could see that Ryouga still had a little fight left to offer.

Then Ryouga looked at him seriously. "Heh, as much as you deserve to die, Ranma, I can't kill you. I just realized why I beat you here, and I think you deserve a rematch. I thought you were holding back when we started fighting, but now I realized you weren't, I just wasn't being hurt. It's so obvious now, while you were back in Nerima, going through your usual routine and fighting your usual enemies, I was here, battling people with powers beyond our comprehension. I've been getting beaten on for the past several months by people so much stronger than me it's ridiculous. It's like I've been taking a Bakusai Tenketsu training regimen designed by the very demons of hell and pushed my toughness to new levels without even realizing it," lectured the Lost Boy. Ryouga's gaze was unfocused, almost like he was explaining things to himself as much as he had been to Ranma, but everything that the guy said made sense to the Anything Goes fighter.

Ryouga then continued. "How can I kill you in good consciousness, when I know that the only reason, I beat you is because I had such an unfair training advantage?"

The Lost Boy shook his head in amusement. Not that Ranma necessarily agreed with Ryouga on that, though he appreciated the idea that Ryouga didn't want to kill him, but personally, Ranma didn't believe there was such a thing as an unfair training advantage. Ryouga had the opportunity to get better and he took it, Ranma would have done the same thing.

Of course, any statements he might have made in his half-conscious state were lost when a sudden explosion rocked the nearby church. Black energy blasted out every window and a shower of rubble was blown out the main entrance of the church.

He only saw into the shattered building for a moment before he was tossed aside like a rag doll. The last thing he saw before colliding heavily with yet another wall and losing consciousness, was the increasingly blurry form of Ryouga flying towards the church with the explosive speed of a cruise missile.

* * *

Jinx stared down at the crumpled form of the Titan, disgust evident on her features. It was almost pathetic how easy she had beaten down her rival. It was time to finish things, though. There was no way she was going to let Raven take Ryouga away from her. Not after all the pain and effort that Jinx had gone through.

"Not so high and mighty are you now, eh Raven?" she muttered. She moved forward and grabbed a handful of the Titans silken violet hair. She then pulled back harshly pulling the girl’s head back so that she could look her in the face.

"Ryouga is _mine_ , you might have liked him back when you guys were hanging out in the village, but my feelings go _so_ far beyond that. And if you won't listen to reason on this... well... then I guess you leave me no choice... " the pink haired villainess let her vague and unspecified threat hang heavily in the air.

Slowly and with obvious effort, Raven slowly lifted her arm, gently she grabbed the dark blue sash of cloth that covered her eyes and pulled off the makeshift blindfold. Next the dark Titan's violet eye's opened and the large orbs swiveled uncertainly until they finally came to settle on her own cat like eyes.

"Jinx..." came a near whisper from the abused Titan's lips.

"What?" she shot back, half anxious, half curious what the girl might say.

"Jinx... Shut the _hell_ up!"

Then Jinx's world vanished into a void of blackness.

* * *

Ryouga felt his heart lock up with cold dread the second the church exploded.

Jinx was in there!

Tossing his rival aside like so much chaff, he pushed his failing body with everything he had left. Had to make sure she was alright! Staggering at first, but each step grew more certain as his will began to overpower the insignificant complaints of a ravaged body, he flew towards the entrance of the barely standing structure.

Several agonizing seconds later he was at the shattered doors of the one-time church, the interior swimming in shadows. But what he _did_ see shook him to the core.

At the very center of the church lay Jinx, crumpled and bleeding. That sight alone was enough to cause a painful constriction in his chest, but it was the _other_ sight that caused his blood to run cold.

Floating above the woman he loved, her cloaked back to him completely, was the demonic Titan, Raven. The vile creature hung in the air above Jinx like a vulture stalking its meal, the dark aura of her unholy energies surrounding her.

Suddenly his spirit, which had seemed so impotent against his rival, burned like a miniature sun within his chest. Though he couldn't know it, his eyes burned with azure fire as he stared at the demon that was stalking Jinx.

This time there was no hesitation to his charge.

* * *

Raven glared down at the young woman that was laying on the ground before her. It looked like her blast had accidentally knocked the witch onto a pile of broken rubble and she was sporting several nasty cuts now. The dark Titan sighed, she had only really meant to clear out the church of all of Jinx's energy, she just didn't have quite as much control as she would have liked.

She smiled as Jinx's eyes fluttered open slightly. Good, that meant she wasn't hurt _too_ bad. Raven was about to reach out and wrap the young witch up with her power so that she could hold her still enough to heal, when suddenly the Hive student's strange cat like eyes came to focus on her, fear filling them.

Wait, not focusing on her, _behind_ her!

The dark Titan spun quickly to see what Jinx was looking at... only to see Ryouga _hurtling_ towards her! His right leg was already carving through the air in a devastating horizontal kick!

Absently she heard what sounded like Jinx yelling out a _warning_ of all things and bemoaned the fact that it was just too little, too late.

Though she didn't realize it, Jinx had saved her life, if Raven hadn't turned when she had, she would have been hit by the top of Ryouga's foot and would have taken the maximum damage from the Lost Boy's kick. Considering Ryouga’s strength and skill compared to her relatively normal human physique, that strike likely would have torn her in _half_.

As it was, her turn brought her a little over two feet closer than Ryouga expected. Instead of being struck by the boy's foot or shin, she was instead struck by the comparatively cushioned part of his leg just above the knee. This move probably cost Ryouga at least eighty percent of the damage of his kick, even as weakened as he was.

None of this was any consolation to Raven as she felt her left arm _snap_ like a twig when the murderous limb smashed into her side. She could only stare with impossibly wide eyes at the monstrous look on the face of the boy she once held so dearly in her heart.

Strangely, she didn't feel any pain, didn't really feel _anything_ , not even when the strike continued into her ribcage, snapping delicate bone like straw before it finally sent her careening off to the side of the church. Everything seemed to flow like molasses as she floated through the air away from the terrifying boy that had just struck her. She knew that she should have been feeling something, logically speaking, but everything was numb, her arm, her chest, her mind... and her heart.

Through the aether she heard Jinx yell something again, she had no idea what it was though, nor could she bring herself to care. Another strange thought filled her mind.

Wouldn't her father be _pissed_ when he found out his daughter got killed before she could fulfill his prophecy? Maybe things weren't all bad after all, by killing her, Ryouga would unknowingly save the world...

She looked forward again in her strangely detached way. Her would be executioner was already coming her way to finish the job. He looked like he was running towards her, fist pulled back, but he was just moving so _slowly_ , it was almost amusing. She almost felt like cheering him on, _yes_! _Do it_! There wouldn't be any blame or regret if he did it now, when he was under the control of another. It seemed so perfect compared to eventually forcing her closest friends to do it for her.

Then suddenly Jinx was moving... what was she doing? The pink haired witch pointed a hand at Ryouga's charging form with glacial slowness before launching a pink hex. The tiny nimbus of light traveled through the air like a firefly, unerringly making its way to Ryouga's skull.

Wait! _No_! _Don't stop him_! She quailed internally but knew there was nothing she could do to stop the tiny projectile.

Then, against her will, the tiny hex struck Ryouga before he could finish his grim duty. For just a moment the Lost Boy's entire head lit up with pink energy, even the azure pouring from his eyes was replaced by the pink light. Then, as quickly as it was there, it was gone, taking the harsh glow of Ryouga's aura with it.

Suddenly Ryouga skidded to a stop, still several feet away from where she was propped up against the wall, his fist still cocked in the air behind him and a look of utter confusion on his face.

What followed shattered the cocoon of calm that surrounded her the fanged warrior collapsed to his knees, an expression of horrified realization settling on his face.

His howl of anguish echoed of the walls of the church.


	20. The End… But not that one… : Part 4

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Jinx moaned from the pain shooting up and down her spine. Raven hadn't been gentle with that last blast she’d unleashed. Even with her soft hued eyes still closed, she could feel something warm and liquid trailing down her face. The coppery taste in her mouth confirmed what said liquid was; her tongue rolled around her mouth, quickly checking for any missing or loosened teeth.

Why did blood taste like copper anyway? It had always confused her, blood was red because it had iron in it, or something like that. Come to think of it, how the heck did she know her blood tasted like copper anyway? She'd never tasted copper before.

Slowly she lifted her head, the jagged piece of what was once the floor of the church had been digging into her scalp painfully. It seemed likely that the back of her head was a bloody mess at this point, not to mention a number of other cuts and scratches she couldn't even be bothered to feel yet from her not-so-gentle landing on a pile of rubble. She couldn't really blame her blue clad nemesis, though; no way could the girl have known where she was going to land. Besides, she hadn't exactly been gentle herself, she'd be a bit of a hypocrite if she complained when Raven played rough, too.

Speaking of the annoying Titan witch... Gingerly the no-longer-pink haired girl opened her eyes. Her vision swam for a moment, her eyes rolling about uncertainly, until finally the room came into focus once more. She sure hoped she didn't have a concussion, but there was no way for her to know and it really wasn't the time to worry about such things anyway.

It didn't take too long to find Raven, the infuriatingly conscious girl hung in the air above her. The Titan was beaten, bruised and bloody, but despite Jinx's best efforts, she floated straight and unbroken, an annoying smirk on her lips. Even with her basic training, Jinx could also see the ebony cloak of her rival’s aura, just on the fringes of her consciousness. Raven was on guard now and in control. Even if she _weren’t_ in a world of hurt, there was no way she could overpower the Titan now. And the worst part, was that Raven was directly between her and the massive... church... door-

Her eyes widened in shock! So _fast_! She could scarcely follow the figure that flew down the center of the church. In the brief second it took the figure to traverse half the distance of the massive structure they were in, her mind could only register two things that screamed at her perceptions. First, was the azure glare that lit up his eyes like hellish beacons.

Second, were the cute little fangs that she had so desperately wanted to get a more personal introduction to.

" _Ryouga_ , _no_!"

Her desperate cry went unheeded by all. Raven was already turning to see what she was looking at. Ryouga... in the time it took her to spout those two words, he’d crossed the rest of the church and leapt, his leg scything through the air as murder shone in his eyes.

A sickening crunch echoed though the once hallowed hall.

Jinx tried to flinch her gaze away from the gruesome spectacle, but it all happened so fast! Ryouga's knee slammed into the violet haired Titan like the hand of God himself. Raven literally wrapped around the lethal appendage like a rag doll, her arm bending obscenely at a location where no joint existed. The young witch felt... _something_ rising from her stomach, a strange sickening sensation spreading through her whole body.

Another fraction of a second later, and Raven's broken form was flying off to the side of the church; strangely Jinx got the impression of a puppet whose strings had all been snapped as the blue clad girl flew bonelessly through the air before finally crashing into the far wall. Just above the Titan, a large stained-glass window, a scene depicting some Saint or other whom Jinx had never cared about, rattled dangerously, but did not break.

She didn't even have the time to figure out why that had seemed so important to her before her would-be fiancé nearly disappeared into another blur of motion. She couldn't imagine why, but he was going after Raven's fallen form! She desperately wished she had the time to think, _why_ would he attack the injured girl?

Even as she quailed in helpless panic, instinct took over where rational thought could never hope to keep up. Even as her mind drowned in a swirling maelstrom of a thousand ideas, plans, fears and questions, her heart had only one thing to say, something so strong and pure that it silenced everything else.

Hibiki Ryouga would **_not_** become a murderer!

Not even sure what she was doing, or what she hoped to accomplish with it; Jinx aimed at the blindingly fast form of the man she loved and invoked the most desperate hex of her life. Heralded only by the sound of a sizzling hiss as it burned through the air, the tiny nimbus of pink light flew straight and true in that way that only happens when you don't think about what you're doing. Mammoth had always called it his Zen method to pool, Gizmo had always fumed it was dumb luck. Either way, the errant missile struck the back of the martial artist's head, glowed briefly, then faded away.

A second later, Ryouga skidded to a stop, his fist still held menacingly in the air above him. She could only watch in morbid fascination as the Lost Boy slowly stopped and began to take in the scene around him. She could feel the strange sickening feeling in her gut intensify as she watched him turn to regard his own upraised fist, as if he had never seen the balled-up group of digits before in his life.

Then the tormented boy collapsed to his knees, clutching his skull, and crying denials to the heavens.

That sight proved to be too much for the young sorceress, as her stomach decided to forcefully purge itself onto the cold stone floor.

* * *

For a moment, Ryouga was at peace. For just one single, ephemeral, and evanescent moment, Hibiki Ryouga knew nothing at all. Nothing existed around him, save a soft pink glow, as if he were floating in a sweet cloud of cotton candy. There was no before and nothing coming next, time seemed to have no meaning to him, for just that one moment.

But a moment is such a tragically short thing.

With a single tick of the clock, the world crashed in around him, overwhelming all his senses and leaving him in a helpless state of confusion. He stumbled to an uncertain stop... wait a moment... he had been running? Why had he been running? Desperate to piece together where he was, he slowly took in his surroundings. At first nothing was familiar; strangely, the feeling of nothing looking familiar felt comfortably familiar in and of itself.

One after another, small facets of the reality that encompassed him began to make themselves known. It was dark, not so dark that he couldn't see, but enough to tell him that there was an unfamiliar ceiling above his head. The next thing he noticed was the smell, a smell of age and neglect, but mixed with something that seemed wrong, out of place. 

The smell of blood filled his nostrils with a visceral intensity. Then stone filled his vision, the walls, and floors that he could see. He was in a massive structure carved from some quarry and fitted together in a time long past. Large wooden benches were also present, they represented some fundamental aspect of this building, but he couldn't remember what they meant. Oddly, many of the benches were overturned and destroyed; obviously, some great battle had occurred here, and that too felt familiar.

One thing stood out from everything else though. He almost didn't notice the slight frame of the girl laying against the wall before him; her dark cloak and pale gray skin blending in with the stone and shadow that encompassed her. I-it looked like the girl was injured, the crimson streams running down her chin stood out from her pale skin in sharp contrast. A nagging feeling began to filter in from the back of his mind. How had this girl gotten injured? For that matter, who was she?

R... raven? Did that mean something to him? He blinked quickly, a slight pain stabbing his eyes from the inside and it was increasing, like some poor abused dam that was seeing its last days. Another sensation drew his attention away from that for a moment.

With glacial slowness, his head turned to the right; the first true movement he had made since his rude awakening. Hovering in the air to his side, arm pulled back and behind his head, was his hand. For some reason, his fingers were tightly balled up into a fist, yet another natural feeling for him. His fist was worn and bruised, dead skin flaked away in some areas and other areas were shrouded in dried blood. His gorge started to rise at that last detail, as his eyes slowly slid back to the broken form of the girl before him, to Raven.

His eyes widened and his fist began to shake uncontrollably as his mind made began to make disturbing connections. Painfully his chest tightened up, his breathing breaking down into a struggling, hyperventilating, wheeze as his imagination pieced together a picture in his mind.

A new sensation settled across his soul, a dark and loathsome emotion that even he had never been subjected to before. Abject horror filled his heart. Horror over what it appeared he had done, horror at what it appeared that he was just about to do. Then a dual pain, as the stabbing in his eyes increased tenfold combined with the dull ache of his knees slamming heavily to the stone floor below him.

He looked up once more, to the dark girl before him, to Raven. Slowly, her face also rose, her gaze lifting to meet his own. Their gazes locked for a moment, his dark brown eyes staring deeply into her unique violet orbs. At first her eyes were blank, like the eyes of a doll, but soon enough a myriad of emotions began to flood into her gaze. Two things stood out like torches among a midnight mass. The first was pity, pity for him. It was a familiar look, and one that he was well used to. The second...

The second was fear; and it cut him to his very core.

The pain in his eyes flared again. Impotently he crushed his palms into his eyes and slammed his forehead into the rough stone beneath him, trying to force away the pain.

And then...

The dam...

Broke.

* * *

Ukyou surged to her feet and tore her spatula from the widely smiling girl’s hands. The bee striped girl let the oversized cooking implement go without any resistance, her smile only widening at Ukyou's ire. As soon as she had her weapon back, the chef sprang back and brought it up before her threateningly.

"What the heck are you doing?"

The dark-skinned girl rested her hands on her hips and chuckled to herself.

"Unless I miss my guess, I'd say I was just _saving your life_ , girlfriend." Then her former opponent leaned back slightly, waiting for her to say something else. A smug look settled in comfortably on her pretty face.

Ukyou nearly sputtered in disbelief. "S-saving my life? You were just doing your best to _kill me_! And now you expect me to believe that you were on my side the whole time? What kind of moron do you take me for?" She raised her spatula up beside her, now that the girl's friend was down for the count, she was sure she could take the winged girl.

Apparently sensing her motives, the super villain raised a hand to ward her off. "Whoa now, girl, I'm _not_ your enemy. The name's Bumble Bee, and I've been spying on the Headmaster for months now," explained the young woman quickly.

"Months? What the heck have you been doing here for so long? Why haven't you done anything to take down whoever's running this place? And why haven't you helped my _friends_ get out of here?" she demanded. If she didn't start getting some good answers soon, this girl was gonna get a heaping helping of pain served up.

"I've been trying to figure out how to break the Headmaster's mind control! Don't you think I _wanted_ to help your friends? Everyone else here is a villain wannabe, but Ryouga, Kunou and the rest are here against their wills," exclaimed Bumble Bee. "For some reason, I'm mostly immune to his power, but until I could actually find a way to free them from the Headmaster's control, there was no way I could talk to any of your friends like that without blowing my cover."

Ukyou felt her teeth grind together in frustration. "I... _suppose_ that makes sense. But then why the heck were you _attacking_ me?" She wrung her hands around the haft of her spatula angrily. If she didn't get a good answer, it might get some use yet.

Bumble Bee shrugged her shoulders dismissively. "I had to keep up appearances, in case any of the other students had followed us in. Besides, you know the old trope of two heroes having a misunderstanding and fighting before they team up to beat the bad guys. I was curious to see how I measured up with the 'Nerima Martial Artists'," she finished, curling her fingers into quotations marks at the last bit.

The expert chef couldn't believe her ears. She surged forwards and grabbed the other girl's shirt, pulling her up roughly. "T-trope! You were trying to kill me over some stupid cliché?" She lifted the bee striped girl off the floor and started shaking her. "You _blew up my GRILL_!"

Bumble Bee demonstrated her inhuman strength once more by breaking out of her grasp and dropping back to the floor. The girl then followed it up by jabbing a painfully strong finger right between breasts. "Hey, _lady_! I didn't attack until you tossed that bag of _flour_ in my face! Do you have any idea how _gross_ that's gonna be to wash out?"

Ukyou rolled her eyes in annoyance, while fighting the urge to rub the spot where she had just been poked; that girl was strong! "Obviously, I do, I'm a chef you _jackass_! And the only reason I tossed that flour bomb at you was because you were chasing me with your crazy buddy over there! I have a half a mind to brain you, spy or not!"

"Look, we don't have time for this! It's obvious that you and your friends are here to save the Titans. This is probably the best chance that I'll ever get to bring the Headmaster down. If you follow me, I can take you right to them." The under-cover girl then suited action to word, spinning around and walking quickly to the exit.

"Oh yeah? Well, don't think that I trust you, yet. You stay ahead of me and keep those your hands away from those gold things of yours. Make one false move and it'll be your last." Ukyou wasn't sure why she was even going along with this girl, but then, she was in a hurry.

Bumble Bee shrugged and responded without turning back. "Look, I don't wanna sound too cliché, but I didn't _have_ to save you back there. I think the least you owe me is the benefit of the doubt." The dark-skinned girl then continued her walk to the exit.

The young martial artist muttered darkly under her breath. "Why I _oughta_..."

She wrung her hands around the haft of her weapon once again, taking a long, considering look from the shiny expanse of her spatula to the back of the dark skinned girls head as she walked away. It was so tempting, so very tempting indeed. But she was there for a reason. She couldn't let down her Ranchan.

Swallowing her frustrated urges, she moved forward to catch up with the winged girl before her. "You're _paying_ for that grill, you know!"

"The _heck_ I am, sister!"

* * *

Shampoo tentatively poked at Mousse's prone body with her toe. Maybe, just maybe, she had been a tad hasty with her _Chui_ there; her childhood friend hadn't looked like he was about to attack her. Slowly she knelt onto the cool yellow metal of the floor and reached into his sleeve until she found another pair of his glasses. Next, she carefully lifted his head into her lap and removed the smashed pair that rested on his nose.

Maybe it had been the thrill of the chase, or all the bad things that she had heard he'd done, but what could she say, she’d panicked. Not that she would admit that to anyone, of course, she'd never live it down. Something about the nearly blind fighter had been slightly off, though, and Shampoo knew him better than pretty much anyone. He hadn't just been happy to see her, it had been much more than that; the look on his face for that moment before she had rearranged it... It had been something much more intense than simple happiness.

She lightly patted his cheek after another few moments. At least she should be able to get a few answers out of him when he woke up.

Another few moments later she let out a huff of annoyance. Did the duck cursed boy plan on waking up anytime that day? She hadn't hit him _that_ hard. She reached down and started digging around in his sleeve again. A few seconds later she was rewarded with the item she had been looking for. With a flourish, she pulled out the tiny mallet and conked the hidden weapons master on the head.

Mousse's eyes open in a flash and his hand shot up to rub the spot where she had hit him. The prone boy then sputtered and grumbled for a moment, until he realized just where he was. She smiled in amusement as his eyes tried their best to focus on her while the rest of him froze once more in shock. With only a mild sense of regret, she put the new pair of glasses over his eyes. He really did have such nice eyes.

"S- _Shampoo_? Is it really _you_? It's not just a dream, is it?" The young man's voice nearly broke as he whispered her name. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the steady stream of tears that began to pour out from beneath his thick lenses.

"Of course is me, stupid Mousse. Why you act so strange?" she whispered back as mildly as she could.

His hand reached up slowly, shaking mildly, and brushed her cheek as gently as a summers breeze.

"I-I had hoped that he had been wrong. He doesn't know you like I do; he doesn't know what a proud warrior you are. There's no way that you'd let a demon get away with killing you," he replied, laughing to himself in relief.

She took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. "What you talking about, Mousse? Shampoo no fight demon, why you think that?" Things were starting to make sense to her now. Raven had told her Great Grandmother that Mousse had nearly killed her. But if she was right about what Mousse was about to say, well then, she might understand why he had done so.

Mousse's face shifted to confusion at her statement. "But, Shampoo, the Headmaster, um, I mean, the man that saved Kunou and me from the Titans, he said that the demonic girl... that she had... murdered you. It was at that moment, when he told me what had happened, that I dedicated my life to making Raven pay for what she had done," muttered the boy, his voice hard like wrought iron.

Shampoo felt the corner of her lip pull up into a small smile. "You try to avenge Shampoo's death? Mousse, that so _sweet_!"

She giggled to herself, at least Mousse truly understood her. She honestly doubted that anyone else she knew, family not included, would possess the drive to really avenge her. As sad as it sounded, she highly doubted that Ranma would have tried to avenge her against Raven, he was such a chauvinist when it came to fighting girls.

"Mousse, this Headmaster, he bad man. He trick you and others. Demon-girl, and her friends no attack you _or_ Shampoo. Was Headmaster's student's that capture you, he change your memories, just like formula 411! We come here to get you back and help Demon-girl's friends, you help us, right?"

Yes, it had been pretty much what she had expected, though Mousse's reaction to seeing her again had been touching. She lifted his head and rose to her feet, a moment later he was standing by her side.

He turned to face her, which was relatively easy since she was the only thing that wasn't yellow in the entire hallway, a ridiculously happy spreading across his face. "Y-you really mean it Shampoo! You came all this way just to rescue me?"

The violet haired girl rolled her eyes. "No take Shampoo the wrong way. Shampoo only come because no like doing the dishes at Nekohanten." She giggled lightly at the disappointed look on her companion’s face. "But Shampoo suppose that it not _too_ bad having you around," she said teasingly. She then playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Now we should go and find the others."

Mousse nodded, a malevolent smile settling across her features. "Yes, my dearest Shampoo. I would like to _discuss_ things with the Headmaster. I will teach him the error of his ways; no one trifles with my emotions!" he stated dramatically. He then raised a hand up to his chin. "Hmm, all we have to do now if find the others so we ca-"

The rest of the boy's sentence was cut off by a loud yell that drew her attention to the end of the hall.

How convenient! Running at top speed down the hall, and right in their direction, was the foolish stick swinging boy that had been kidnapped with Mousse. Something was odd though, two things, even. First, the boy didn't seem to be swinging his sword around; she honestly couldn't remember _ever_ seeing the boy without his wooden sword. Secondly, was the fact that he was running down the hallway, yelling at the top of his very loud lungs! As long as she had known the loudly pontificating boy, she had never seen him in such a state. What in the world could have actually scared-

A traumatizing _screeching_ sound came from the end of the hall, like a dozen nails being dragged across a steel plate.

A second later, the entire end of the hallway was filled as a massive shape slid into view, a veritable shower of sparks flying from the creatures many massive claws as it tried to stop itself. The monstrous _thing_ slammed heavily into the wall, which buckled under its weight, before it started loping their way. She could only stare in shock as the giant green beast barreled towards them; it was running so incredibly _fast_!

She hardly even reacted when, just as he passed between herself and Mousse, Kunou grabbed her arm, nearly painfully, and started dragging both of them down the hallway at breakneck speeds.

" _MynoblecompaionsIinsistthatweleavepost **haste**_!” She couldn't even comprehend what the fast speaking boy had said.

The beast snarled and slavered as it raced down the hall after them. She had never seen a creature like it in her life, it nearly filled the hallway with its bulk. Whatever it was, it stood almost like a man, but ran on all fours like a massive wolf. It was easily eight feet high, and its shoulders were over half that width, with massive arms nearly as long as its body, ending in deadly looking claws. The creatures head looked to be a mix between a lion and a wolf, with massive fangs, pointed ears and, well, a massive shaggy green mane.

Wait a moment... wasn't one of the people they were looking for supposed to turn into green animals?

"B-but Shampoo is _good_ person!" she yelled even as Kunou continued dragging her down the hall.

" ** _AHHWWWOOOOOOOOOOO_**!" It let loose with a bone numbing howl. The creature then lowered its snarling body and began to tear after them even faster.

To the Chinese _Hell of Boiling Water_ , with this! A second later and the two males were rapidly falling behind her.

She reminded herself of the ancient Chinese proverb, she didn't have to outrun the monster... she just had to outrun her _companions_!

* * *

Starfire flew down the corridor as quickly as her companions would allow. She was still feeling incredibly guilty for leaving their friend, Beast Boy, to face that unusual swordsman. The young changeling had assured them that he would be adequately capable of defeating the Kunou person. She just hoped that his pride was not leading him into a fight that he could not win. She certainly hoped he was alright.

She glanced to the side, bringing her attention to her more immediate companions. Her gaze slid to encompass her long-lost teammate and leader, Robin. It was all she could do to stop herself from flying over and wrapping her arms around the small boy, if only to assure herself that he was real. It had been so _long_ since she had seen him, and she had been terribly worried for his welfare while he had been captured. In fact, the only thing stopping her from doing just that, was the fact that she knew how serious he could be when he was on a mission.

Her only consolation was the fact that he appeared to be in good health and spirits. It seemed likely that his good condition was directly related to their second companion. The human female, Kasumi, had been extremely kind to all of them, even though Cyborg, Beast Boy and herself had only been there for a relatively short length of time. And now the unusual young woman was taking them to the supposed master of this complex, so that they might defeat and incarcerate him. It all seemed so... what was that word that Raven liked to use... surreal?

And strangely, despite Robin’s claims that Kasumi was a non-combatant, she seemed to be having little trouble keeping up with the young man's frantic run. One thing was certain, she wanted to speak with this young woman sometime in the future. She eagerly wanted to know why Ryouga had been _constantly_ comparing her to this lady during their stay at the village in China.

She looked back to Robin, and saw him staring back at her, the hard look on his face now replaced by a softer expression as he matched her gaze. She felt her cheeks begin to burn and quickly looked away in embarrassment. Really, she was having enough trouble not doing anything inappropriate without him looking at her like that!

Luckily, she was saved from doing anything she would most assuredly not regret later, when the three of them burst into a massive chamber. The room was easily the largest they had seen in the entire complex, it's walls and floors composed of the same metallic yellow hexagons as every other room and hallway that she had seen. She came to a dead stop in the air as her companions skidded to a stop beside her.

In the center of the room was a large assortment of people. Most she recognized, but some she did not. At the far end of the room, leaning casually against the wall, was the odious villain, Nabiki. Flanking her were Mammoth and Gizmo, both easily familiar. Not too far from those two, were two less familiar figures, the first were several identical clones of the boy they had met in the S.T.A.R labs. The second was the strange teleporting boy that she had defeated on the very night of her own capture. The last two, whom she didn't recognize at all, stood near the middle of the massive chamber. One was a green skinned youth with red eyes and antennae on his head. The next appeared to be a massive robot, but with a large fleshy face protruding from its chest.

She floated uncertainly by her friends. Everyone was looking back and forth, indecision on everyone's faces. Everyone except for Nabiki, anyway. She nonchalantly looked at her watch before looking back in their direction.

"Hmm, you two are a bit ahead of schedule, that just won't do," she muttered in amusement. She then gestured to the two figures in the center of the room. "Instigator, XL, can you two take care of our guests there for me?"

With that, the green skinned youth and the massive robot began lumbering in their direction. Starfire looked to her companions. She noticed Kasumi moving off to the side of the room, she looked to be making her way over to her sister. Was the girl betraying them? Hadn't Nabiki wanted them brought here? If so, then why was she sending her fellow classmates to attack them? She looked to Robin for guidance, this was all very confusing.

The Boy Wonder shrugged before smiling widely and confidently. "Just like old times, right, Star? Don't worry, I'll take the _ugly one_!" He then suited action to words, charging to face the two villains.

Starfire raised a finger to her chin as she looked at the green skinned youth and the metallic drone.

"…but which one is the ugly one?"

* * *

Ryouga howled in anguish as memories, once hidden, flowed through his mind like a devastating flood. He cried as they replayed themselves in stark, crystal clarity. Why wouldn't they stop? He didn't want to remember! Memories only brought pain, his long dismal existence proved that time and time again.

Disparate memories conflicted in his head; images of the Amazon village surfaced in his mind. He shook his head fiercely in confusion. In one life, the life that he had just been living, he remembered spending his time with Jinx. But everything was foggy, insubstantial, like a phantasm or illusion.

In the other life, and this one seemed so much clearer, so much more vibrant; he remembered traveling with the five self-titled Titans. Flashes of light and sound swam past him, resolving themselves only for brief moments before dissolving into another.

* * *

_He chuckled happily as he watched Beast Boy hop down from the bed, clad only in his boxers. His companion and the numerous women that populated the training area laughed along good naturedly. The young green man swaggered over, smiling all the way. "Heh, awesome prank, you guys, I didn't know you two had it in you!" cheered the changeling._

* * *

A small smile formed upon the Lost Boy's lips. He remembered the green youth, he had been so strange, but so am-

* * *

_The humongous green rhinoceros pushed him back, his feet digging deep furrows in the pavement. He shook his head; this poor fool was the last person that should challenge Hibiki Ryouga. The Lost Boy had spent most of his life fighting off wild animals._

_He had gotten quite good at it._

_The Lost Boy's strength might be dwarfed by the cybernetic Titan's, but it would be more than enough to deal with the beast before him. A sharp twist of the rhino's horn and he would snap the Titan's neck like a twig..._

_A sharp **twist** of the rhino's horn and he would **snap** the Titan's neck like a twig._

* * *

A wordless cry of anguish tore itself from his lips as the second torrent of memory swept through his tortured psyche. W- what had he _done_? When had that happened? Why had h-

* * *

" _-yeah? Well we fought a giant swarm of mutant moths that were gonna eat the whole dang **city**!" countered the robust Titanium Titan._

_Ryouga smirked confidently. "Feh, giant insects are the best that you can come up with? We fought a victim of the Niuhoomanmaorenniichuan!" he bragged happily. At least until he saw the utterly confused look on his companion’s face._

" _Um... the spring of drowned "yeti holding an eel and crane while riding an ox", basically he turned into a thirty-foot minotaur... thing" he explained the best he could._

_Cyborg looked back at him strangely. "I see. I guess that's cool, but you won't believe what **we** di-"_

* * *

_The titanium-carbide ceramic plating covering the boy's forearm shattered and burst open dramatically, revealing the more delicate inner workings of his opponents’ arm. Cyborg quickly swung his arm behind his back and started backing away from the Lost Boy as fast as he could._

" _Man, that is so not good!" yelled the now vulnerable youth._

_Ryouga smirked wickedly, nodding. He lifted his finger up threateningly before him. "Heh, what do you think would happen if I removed the armor covering your skull?"_

* * *

He clutched his head in his right hand, even as he buried his left hand up to the wrist in the stone floor. The memories were coming fast now, many only half formed, but even those tore at his already tattered soul.

* * *

" _Ryouga, you must control your anger, I fear you may harm yourself," she pleaded with him._

" _Sorry, Starfire. I'm working on it, it's just so hard for me, you know?" said the Lost Boy. Slowly the suit began to unbind, and he was able to stand under his own power again. She nodded and pulled him in for a quick hug before releasing him. The Tamaranean then floated back to the beginning of the spiral._

" _Shall we begin again?" she asked him quietly._

* * *

He tore his hand from floor and smashed it into the unyielding bedrock once more. He relished in the sensation as his hand burrowed through the stone, small flecks and splinters of the floor digging into his skin and drawing blood.

* * *

_He glared down at Robin's prone form. "Do you yield!" he growled fiercely._

_He got his answer quickly enough, as the young hero's feet swept up blindingly fast and smashed into his face. "What do you thi-"_

* * *

_What had he done? He looked at the girl beneath him, her arm steadily oozing green blood to the ground. A mass of bruises forming on the once smooth skin of her midsection. The Lost Boy recoiled in shock at the works he had wrought._

* * *

A shower of rock flew into the air as he ripped his hand out of the floor again. Dear gods, how could he have done that to Starfire? He had loved her, loved her like the sister that he had only briefly had. And he had done _that_ to her?

This time his arm buried itself up to the elbow in the fragile stone beneath him.

* * *

" _Do not worry, Ryouga, you did much better that time, I am sure you will have it soon... um I mean, um you are a Chlorbag! Yes, that and many other hurtful things besides!" she added lamely. Ryouga laughed in amusement._

" _Starfire, I can't get mad if you insult me in a language I don't understand," he said jokingly._

* * *

Ryouga's hand tore itself from the rubble beneath him, this time to cover his mouth as it felt like his stomach was about to empty itself. What had he done to his friends? What kind of monster had he become? He felt his soul twist in on itself as his darkening ki began to swirl around him beyond any hope of control. The floor began to crack and groan in its own form of anguish, as the monstrous weight of his manifested guilt began to crush him into to ground. And even worse, he knew, knew it to the deepest inch of his heart, that the _worst_ was yet to come...

Fighting against the terrible weight that pulled at his soul, he raised his head to gaze upon the crumpled form of the girl that slumped against the far wall.

* * *

Ranma's eyes snapped open and he flipped to his feet, something screaming at the periphery of his consciousness.

A second later, he collapsed against the wall beside him, groaning in pain and clutching his stomach.

The shattered wall crumbled further as he settled his weight against the old brick work. Another gasp escaped his lips as protests rose from the rest of his body over his sudden movement. O-obviously, that hadn't been a very smart move on his part. The only thing that matched the pain in his stomach, was the bone-numbing exhaustion that had seeped into every bone in his body. Still... _something_ had woken him up, something big, something familiar.

He couldn't be sure, but he was certain that he hadn't been out for very long, maybe only a few seconds. The wall he had been thrown against was still collapsing slightly, Akane was still fighting the crowd of clones. Everything seemed close to just before Ryouga had toss-

_Ryouga_! The _church_! He turned to face the massive building. He remembered distinctly that the interior had been nearly dark before he had lost consciousness... The tight knot of apprehension that was forming at the back of his mind burst to the fore front. Now the interior of the building was lit by an unearthly glow, coruscating between azure and jade to his trained eye.

Damn it! He took his eye off the Lost Boy for a second! And now the entire scenario had changed on him. If that wasn't the build up for a perfect _Shi Shi Houkodan_... w-well, he damn well didn't know what was!

The Saotome heir took a deep breath, then pushed himself off from the wall. First, one step, then another, then another, and he was moving towards the church. His body screamed at him to stop for a rest, but like so many times before, he silenced its irrelevant concerns. Everyone was still under that church, he couldn't let Ryouga unleash a blast like that, he'd bury them all!

Soon he was running, the edifice of the once magnificent building looming before him. He passed through the entrance, moving with a speed most Olympians would kill for. The entire interior of the building was ablaze with heavy ki, lighting it more efficiently than a bonfire. Rubble was everywhere, heavy wooden benches were strewn about like kindling and most of the windows were blown out. But where was Ryouga?

Standing at the far end of the church, staring raptly at something off to the side, was that pink haired girl that had been outside with Ryouga. Pushing himself even further, Ranma ran up to the girl, intent on finding out what had happened while he had been unconscious. She didn't even seem to be aware of him as he hurtled in her direction.

He made it within about five feet of her, before his foot came down on something wet and slick on the floor. Instantly his feet flew out from under him and he slammed onto his back; his momentum carryied him into a jagged pile of rubble with a jarring crash.

His nose twitched as he received a whole new list of complaints from his body.

" _Ugh_... what smells like Akane's cooking?"

* * *

For another moment, Ryouga's gaze locked with Raven's. For just that moment, he swam in the violet depths of those soft orbs. Then the moment passed, and his mind was flung once more into the far recesses of his own memories.

* * *

" _That sounds like an awfully lonely existence," she blurted out._

_He nodded. "I'm used to it, besides it's not like I really have a choice in the matter. I don't have anywhere to go anymore, and it's not like I could get there if I did," he muttered._

" _Well, you know," she started shyly. "There's always one place that you'll be welcome after these past days."_

" _Really? Where's that?" he asked, somewhat hopefully._

_She smiled. "You'll always be welcome at our Tower in Jump city if you ever make it that way. You've helped us out a lot these past few days, it's the least we could do."_

* * *

His chest tightened even further, though he didn’t know how. She had offered him such kindness, this strange girl whom he hardly knew. And he had repaid her with _betrayal_!

* * *

" _Where the **hell** do you think you're going, Lost Boy?" came an angry yet beautifully feminine voice from behind him._

_He chuckled nervously, absently playing with the knot of his bandanna. "Um... heh Raven, um... since when do you swear?" he asked, totally clueless about what to do now._

" _I **don't** swear. I am just somewhat curious as to why you seem to be leaving the village without saying anything to me," she asked, far too mildly to be good for his health._

* * *

He remembered now, and his heart wept for it. He remembered how he had felt for the girl, for Raven. He had liked her, liked her more than he had wanted to admit at the time... and those feelings had been _corrupted_ by the Headmaster! T-that monster! That bastard had tricked him, _manipulated_ him! Somehow – somehow, he had changed everything, torn everything that he had felt for the dark Titan... and sewn it onto Jinx...

* * *

" _Oh, for the love of Buddha, Raven, just hug the poor guy and let's go! He'll never make it to the tower if you two stand there for the rest of your lives!" yelled a frustrated Beast Boy from his patched-up cockpit._

_They met in a warm embrace; she pressed her head to his chest, and he rested his cheek on the crown of her head. They stood there for several wonderful moments before she finally pulled away. She then levitated, moving to the cockpit of her section of the T-Ship._

" _Don't keep us waiting forever, Ryouga, the Titans will miss you," she told him._

_He replied earnestly._

" _We'll meet again, Raven, no matter what happens."_

* * *

_The sickening crack of bone snapping rang through his ears as his leg collided with the dark Titan's side..._

* * *

" _We'll meet again Raven, no matter what... "_

* * *

Oh _gods_... He looked up at Raven once more, hardly even able to fight the inexorable pull of his own vehement ki. Oh gods, he had never meant it like that, but...

He had _kept_ his promise.

* * *

Ranma nearly failed in his second attempt to rise to his feet, when the heavy ki in the air suddenly doubled. As it was, it took every ounce of his will power just to stand straight and stagger drunkenly to the pink haired villain's side. Still she ignored him, as if her entire life hinged upon the spectacle before her. He followed her gaze, and finally saw his oldest rival.

The boy was on hands and knees, facing away from them. Vitriolic ki literally poured from the boy in waves, flooding the entire church. Ranma had never seen the Lost Boy in such a state, the force of the boy's own ki was slowly crushing him into the stone floor on which he knelt.

He needed to know what was going on! If Ryouga unleashed the ki he was accumulating... then even the blast that the Lost Boy had unleashed to defeat Lime would be insignificant in comparison. To heck with saving his friends below, if he didn't stop Ryouga, the whole _block_ would likely be leveled. The gods only knew how many people were living in the surrounding area!

Ranma turned to the lithe girl at his side and grabbed her shoulders and shook her harshly.

"What the heck did ya _do_ to him, Jinx!" he yelled directly in her face. That seemed to work, her eyes finally tore away from Ryouga to regard him. He shuddered slightly at her disturbing eyes but dismissed his fear as best he could. He was startled to see fresh tears running down her face.

"Who -" her voice was small and uncertain. "R-ranma? You're the guy that Ryouga was always talking about... "

He shook her again. "Who cares about that junk? What the heck did ya do to Ryouga? He couldn't even light a candle outside and now he's getting ready for a meltdown!" he barked harshly. He tightened his grip on her arms even as he forced himself to stare her in the eyes.

Her head swung from side to side for a moment before she faced him again, anger in her eyes. "Don't you get it, you moron? I _broke_ the Headmaster's control over Ryouga's memories. He's remembering _everything_ that he was forced to forget!" she screeched back. The tears were still streaming down her face.

Ranma released her and stumbled back a step in shock. "B-but why would you do _that_?" He stared at her in confusion...

She seemed to lose some of her fire at his question. Her eyes lowered, as if she couldn't stand to look him in the eye.

"Because... because I love him... and I won't let him become a murderer because of me," she whispered in a pained voice.

A bitter smirk wormed its way onto his face. "You expect me to believe _that_? You turned him into a criminal in the first place! Why stop there, why not finish destroying the guys life while you're at it?" he spat out accusingly.

It was a testament to how exhausted he was when her open-handed slap cracked across his cheek and rocked his head painfully to the side.

This time it was her that grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, boring into him with her terrifying pink eyes. "You hypocritical _bastard_! If even _half_ of what Ryouga said was true, then you've ruined his life more completely than even the Headmaster himself could imagine!" She lifted with surprising strength, bringing him up onto his toes as her eyes started to glow dangerously. "I may have turned him into a criminal, but that's because I'm an _incredible screw up_!" she hissed with self-loathing.

"You! You do everything your _twisted_ imagination can come up with to make his existence just _that_ much more unbearable! You pretend to be his fiancée to keep him away from your _precious_ Akane! My God, you dressed up as the boy's _sister_ so he couldn't even show your fiancée his damn _puppies_! You _knew_ what kind of life he led, you _knew_ how lonely he was, but you still dangled something as cherished as family in his face; and over what, your stupid jealousy? I may be super villain, but Ranma Saotome, you make me _sick_!" With that, she pushed with all her strength, sending him stumbling back several feet. The pink haired girl then spun angrily away from him to watch the Lost Boy once more.

Damn! That had been the last thing he had needed to hear! He knew that he had done wrong by Ryouga a few times, heck, him, and a lot of other people besides. It just never seemed to occur to him that what he was doing had any real meaning. Was it his fault that everyone took things so seriously? But... having a super villain rub it into his face that he was an insensitive jerk, it had a particularly harsh sting to it.

She was being honest, though, about everything. He didn't need any special technique to read the anguish in the girl's eyes as she vented all her pain on him. She had meant it when she had said she was trying to help Ryouga. But what was she talking about anyway? Ryouga wasn't a killer, he just didn't have it in him. God knows that there had been opportunities where the Lost Boy could have finished him off if he had really wanted to, and vice versa.

Besides, who the heck was Hibiki supposed to kill? Jinx was the only one in here wasn't... she...

Ah hell. Ryouga wasn't facing them, he was facing the far wall! Ranma focused past the glare of his unfortunate friend's aura. There, slumped against the wall, was the slight frame of the girl that had brought them here.

"Raven!" he gasped in shock. The greenish, azure glow of his friends ki lit up her features in an unearthly way, which only made the blood running down her delicate chin stand out that much more clearly.

He prepared to rush past the collapsed form of the fanged boy, but then a slight shift in the heavy ki around him threw him off balance for a fraction of a second.

In the moment that he had turned to see the injured Titan at the far end of the church, Ryouga had moved as well. Somehow, though Ranma wasn't certain how, the Lost Boy was kneeling now, no longer bowed to the floor.

And he was looking directly at Jinx.

* * *

Ryouga's world swirled in a maelstrom of colours and sounds, memory, and reality battling for dominance as he tried to battle his way through the images that overwhelmed him. Then, as if in answer to a prayer, a voice cut through the pandemonium that was his existence.

"Ranma Saotome, you make me _sick_!" Jinx's sweet voice rang with hot, beautiful anger.

Gods, he loved that girl!

The thought had leapt into his mind unbidden. H-had he meant that? Did he actually love Jinx, did he have any real feelings for the girl at all? Or were all his feelings for her just a cruel machination of the Headmaster. Uncertainty tore at his already bleeding heart. His feelings for Raven and his feelings for Jinx... which were real? Were both real... were _either_ real?

He had to know! Fighting against the mountainous weight that brutally strained to pull him into the earth, he pushed himself away from the shattered remains of the floor. He could feel muscles tear and hear joints pop loudly as his body battled against his own spirit. Agonizingly, he began to turn, to face the owner of the voice that had called him out of chaos.

There, standing several yards before him, her hands clasped before her and her legs shaking terribly as she stubbornly endured the oppressive weight of his ki. His gaze slowly traveled up the delicate porcelain curves of her face.

* * *

_He looked down at the girl in his arms, one of his eyebrows raised questioningly._

_She looked back sheepishly and shrugged._

" _That's never happened to me before, I swear," she said, almost in apology._

_Ryouga rolled his eyes and dropped her on her butt._

* * *

Glistening tears traveled down her cheeks, rolling smoothly before they collected into perfect diamonds that rained from her chin. And even though he knew he shouldn't feel anything for her, each one nearly evoked a tear from him as well.

* * *

_She glared harshly at him as he returned to the seat beside her. "You did that on purpose didn't you?" she muttered quietly from below the bench. He returned her look with another sheepish look and a small shrugging of his shoulders._

_Jinx smiled slightly at that and squeezed his hand reassuringly. She stared deeply into his eyes for what seemed like forever. "Don't worry about it, we'll make it up later during the combat classes."_

* * *

Then his eyes caught her own; like Raven, he could see two things in her fathomless cat like eyes. The first was fear, and his heart cried out once more, though for a different reason. Her fear was _for_ him, not of him.

* * *

_He heard a gasp from the girl sitting beside him. "Does it hurt bad?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. She looked up slowly, her eyes penetrating his own._

_He smiled wryly and shook his head. "Not at all, heh it takes more than a little scratch like this to hurt Hibiki Ryouga," he boasted lightly._

_His smile grew more as he watched her roll her eyes at his bravado. Nervously he wrapped an arm around the pale girl and pulled her close to him. He felt her warmth mingle with his own, felt the electric tingle of her finger tracing the scar on his stomach._

* * *

The second thing he saw... was love. Her eyes were filled with it, they overflowed with it. He could feel it pouring out from her like she was a beacon crafted especially for him. B-but... but how could that be? It was all a lie! A fabrication, the creation of a madman, designed to hold him in thrall and make him a slave.

His mind screamed out that he was a fool, that everything that was true and real lie crumpled against the wall behind him. And yet... it didn't matter to him, not in the slightest. Even if it started out as a lie, Jinx had stolen his heart. He chuckled to himself, how appropriate for the villainous girl.

Slowly he rose to his feet, the weight of his spirit slowly flowing off him like a mountain spring. Hesitantly, he took a step forward, towards the vision of beauty that stood before him.

Then his movement stopped abruptly.

* * *

Jinx stared in awe as Ryouga turned to face her. She had no idea how he was able to move at all. She was several yards away from the boy and it was all she could do just to stay on her feet. The anger that had been stoked in her by that arrogant jerk, Ranma, vanished instantly when his eyes came to rest on her.

_'Please_ _don't_ _remember_... '

His eyes rose to meet hers, at first filled with confusion and uncertainty. Her heart wanted to explode as she saw that uncertainty evaporate like morning dew as he stared into her eyes.

_'Please don't remember that_... '

Maybe... maybe it wasn't all a lie anymore, she saw love in his eyes now and it grew with every second. Despite everything that had happened, had he really come to return her feelings for him, even though he now knew what had really happened?

_'Please don't remember what I did_... '

It seemed so insane, how could anyone sane still feel like that after what he had gone through? Her legs stopped shaking, as suddenly it felt like a great burden had lifted from her shoulders. Slowly, Ryouga rose from his knees to stand before her, a small smile forming on his lips, a tiny fang hanging over his lower lip cutely.

_'Oh God, please don't remember that..._ '

He took a step forward, his right hand rising slightly, reaching out towards her. Hesitantly, she raised her left hand, reaching back to him.

And then he stopped.

She gasped as she watched his eyes drain of all emotion. Suddenly he wasn't staring at her, he was watching something far away, something that had happened long ago.

_'No, oh God, no..._ '

* * *

_The gray-haired monster stepped forward, grinding a boot into the long gash that covered his chest, nearly causing him to pass out from the pain._

_"Well boy, any last words before you leave this world?" asked the man cruelly._

_Ryouga snarled loudly, lifting his head from the ground to get closer to the man above him._

_"Just this old man. **I'll see you in hell**!"_

_" **ULTIMATE SHI SHI HOUKODAN**!" The words tore the last of the air from his lungs as he brought all his tainted ki together to one singular point in his soul before unleashing it out into the world._

_He watched in savage glee as the frail form of the Headmaster was swallowed up by the massive tower of energy that erupted up from him and rose into the sky. He watched in silent awe as the azure column of his own life energy coalesced into a sphere high in the sky above him, giving birth to a second moon in the night. He could almost see the silhouette of the old man at the heart of the massive orb that hung perilously in the air, but any joy or satisfaction that he should have felt at the sight were torn out of him as the last his ki was drained from his body and up into the perfect version of his Lion's Roar Shot._

_The magnificent beacon of his ki floated serenely for a second that seemed like an eternity. Then, as inevitability demanded, it descended from the Heavens. He couldn't even bring himself to close his own eyes as the massive sphere of light and energy plummeted back towards him._

_The ultimate shi shi houkodan landed with the force of meteor, reducing the once pristine countryside to a hellish apocalypse as it annihilated everything around him. The ground beneath him shattered and collapsed, dropping him down as the manifestation of his pain and anguish settled into the yawning chasm it was itself creating._

_Finally, finally, it ended, the destruction ceased, and the wind howled as it sped in to fill the void that his attack had torn in the air. And then... silence._

_Listlessly, Ryouga began to rise to his feet, still feeling the emptiness that was the ultimate result of the shi shi houkodan. Several yards away, lying unconscious in a slowly spreading pool of blood, was sprawled the body of his enemy. The tiny embers of his hatred flared back to life at the sight of the man._

_Ignoring the pain that tore through his frame, ignoring the blood that poured freely from the grizzly wound that ran from his shoulder to his stomach, he lurched over to the crippled form of the Headmaster. He looked down at the man – no, the monster that had threatened to kill his friends. With a glacial slowness, Ryouga removed his bandanna, and with the tiniest flick of his wrist, transformed it from a mere decoration, into an executioner's axe._

" _I may die here, monster, but at least I know that I died saving the lives of those whom you would harm," he muttered, barely possessing the breath to bring the words into existence. His arm raised up above his head, the implement of his justice cutting through the air with its faded edge._

" _No, Ryouga... you won't," came a whisper from behind him._

_He spun as quickly as his wounds would allow, his eyes widening in shock. Standing before him, dressed in the same grimly dark outfit and strangely striped socks as when he first met her, was the pink haired witch that he had met in Jusenkyo weeks ago. She stared at him, her expression unreadable to his inexperienced eyes._

" _J-Jinx? What are you doing here? Why would you stop me from destroying this monster?" he wheezed painfully. He waved an arm behind him gesturing to the Headmaster's form._

_The young woman looked to the side, her eyes closed now. "I can't let you hurt him, Ryouga." She then looked back at him, her eyes beginning to glow with a frightful pink energy._

_He stumbled back a step, fear bubbling up in his heart. "Jinx! You don't need to protect him; this man is a – a monster! You don't know the things that he threatened to do, what he wanted to make me do," he pleaded. He didn't want to fight a girl, especially not over someone like the Headmaster._

_Jinx raised a hand, now wreathed in pink flames as well. "You don't understand Ryouga... I know exactly what he's done, what he wanted to do," she whispered quietly._

_Then the flame that surrounded her hand shot out, a blazing neon projectile. His eyes widened in shock and a scream tore itself from his lips, as the blast crashed into the ground at his feet. Suddenly the earth heaved and exploded under him, launching his slashed and battered body into the air. He landed harshly a moment later, lying at the feet of the terrible and lovely young woman that had attacked him._

_He stared up into her strange pink eyes, as the world slowly began to fade away around him. Her lips began to move as she spoke once more._

" _After all... I'm the one that led him to you."_

* * *

_'No, Oh God, no…’_

Ryouga's eye's stared off into nothing as Jinx watched him, her hand still reaching out towards him. She didn't know how... but she knew – she _knew_ what he was remembering. An instant later, her fears were confirmed, as the Lost Boy's soulful brown orbs returned to the present.

Her heart tore itself in half as he stared at her, his mouth hanging open in shock. _Betrayal_! Betrayal so _deep_ and so raw that its defied description, lay within his eyes. She could only stare at him, his entire body dead like a statue, the only sign of life lying within those liquid orbs. Everything that she had feared, everything that she knew would come to pass, now it was happening.

How could she even delude herself into thinking she was worthy of his love? She delivered him into the hands of the Headmaster. There was no euphemism or metaphor to compare it, she had discovered the boy, she had informed the Headmaster of his existence... and, to her eternal regret, had struck the blow that had condemned him to his fate. There could be no forgiveness for one such as her... her soul was as twisted and hollow as the Headmaster's himself.

She couldn't even bare to match his gaze for a moment longer, every second of it stabbed into her like a razor blade. So, she did the only thing she could, the only thing that she had ever done when she couldn't bear the responsibility for her actions...

"God, Ryouga, I am _so_ sorry. " she whispered hoarsely.

She fled.

* * *

Ryouga could only stare at Jinx, the pain of betrayal burning him like fire. I-it had been _her_ all along. She had been the one that had condemned him to become the Headmaster's slave! He couldn't reconcile it; his mind rejected the thought like a cancer. How could it be? How could Jinx have done that to him, delivered him into the hands of that bastard?

He wanted to scream, to howl his pain to the world, but no sound would pass his lips. His fingers would not move, his entire body felt like the very stone that he shattered with such ease. Jinx had ruined his life; she had betrayed him in the most heinous way imaginable... and yet he could _not hate her_! Why could he not hate her? Hatred was as close a companion to him as anger and depression, but it would _not come_!

He stared at the crystal tears that still trailed down her pale cheeks. She had betrayed him so terribly, but – but she had treated him so kindly. She had shown him compassion and friendship like he had never experienced before. She loved him, with all her heart, just as he had loved her in his illusioned world. He could feel it in her gaze, her regret at what she had done. C-could he really let one instant of betrayal count for more than _all_ the times, _all_ the months that she had been there for him?

A strange sense of irony rolled over him, but he could not understand what it meant.

The decision was taken out of his hands though, as Jinx turned away from him, and ran. The elevator that led to the Hive complex rose silently from the ground before her.

_'No! Don't leave me_!'

He tried to cry out, tried to reach out to her... but nothing would come. No words would come to him, he was failing when it mattered the most and his accursed body wouldn't do anything to stop it! His ki flared back to life, harsher than before, trying to bury him under a mountain of poisonous self-loathing.

_'Turn around, Jinx, just turn around_!'

The pink haired sorceress entered the vile yellow elevator, before turning back to face him. He cried out impotently, her eyes were closed! Her head was bent under the weight of her guilt and she couldn't even bring herself to look at him.

_'Open your eyes! I forgive you_!'

Why wouldn't the words come? His spirit cried out in anguish, manifesting itself into a vitriolic green aura that made the one he had been producing moments ago pale in significance. All she had to do was open her eyes... and she would see the love in his eyes. Why wouldn't she open her eyes?

The floor surrendered to the unimaginable force of his depression given form, a crater forming around him as he sunk into the earth. He stared at Jinx, willing her to open her eyes, even as his ki continued to swell beyond his control. His aura writhed and burned as the elevator doors inexorably slid towards each other. He stared at her pale grey face for one last second, burning every feature into his memory, before the doors finally closed, stealing her form his life.

And with the soft click of the doors closing...

His heart died.

* * *

Ranma watched everything unfold with morbid fascination, unable to do anything but observe the scene as it played out before him. For a moment... just a moment, it appeared that everything was going to work out. He didn't know what his idiotic friend was thinking, but the Lost Boy looked at the pink haired criminal before him, a look that could only be described as love filling his eyes.

The Saotome Heir wanted to club the wanderer upside the head, how could he still love her after remembering that he was supposed to be in love with Raven? He was about to vocalize his question, when suddenly the Hibiki boy froze.

He didn't know what to make of it, one instant, Ryouga had been star struck for Jinx. But then, the boy's face sunk into a mask of such pure horror, such terrible betrayal, that Ranma hoped with all his soul, that he would never know what the fanged boy had just seen. It was too much for Jinx, almost instantly she turned and fled for the elevator that led to the lower levels.

Suddenly, Ranma was on his knees, a weight pressing down on his shoulders that dwarfed the former pressure of Ryouga's aura as a mountain dwarfs a mole hill. He could only stare in horror as the ki around his rival began to amass and accumulate at a terrifying rate. He had to stop Ryouga _now_! The blast that the boy was building up to now, he couldn't even imagine how large it would be. If he couldn't stop the Lost Boy now, who knew how many would die?

And then the elevator doors closed...

And Ryouga collapsed, his ki vanishing as if it never was. Ranma jumped up, suddenly free of the oppressive weight of his rival's aura. The fear he had felt about his rival destroying the city was gone, suddenly replaced by an entirely new fear. He flew over and grabbed the Lost Boy; he lifted Ryouga's head and stared into the boy's eyes.

They were empty, like staring into the eyes of a doll. All the fire, all the fight that had always burned so brightly in the boy's eyes... it was all gone, nothing remained...

Nothing at all.

"R-ryouga? Ryouga... _RYOUGA!_ "


	21. The End… But not that one…: Part 5

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

* * *

Ranma stared into the empty eyes of his unresponsive friend. Still nothing. He had tried everything he could think of. He had shaken him, shouted insults, he even pleaded with the stubborn fool, but the Lost Boy remained as still as the dead. If it weren't for the weak pulse that the Saotome heir had found...

"C'mon, buddy... ya gotta wake up. We gotta get the guy that did this to you! Come on, man, I can't _do this one without you_!" he barked out hoarsely. Despite his words, Ryouga only continued to stare vacantly at the ceiling of the church.

The pigtailed boy could feel the desperate talons of helplessness digging into him. There was no feeling that he _hated_ so much as the stark knowledge that he wasn't in control and there was nothing he could do. He was _Saotome Ranma_ for crying out loud! He didn't lose, he could do anything! Everyone always counted on him to beat the bad guy, or to stop the monster, or save Akane... he was the _hero_ dammit!

His fist curled up against his own will.

"Wake _up, dammit_ **!** " His fist slammed into Ryouga's cheek with a meaty smack... and instantly Ranma cursed himself. What was he doing? You didn't _punch_ people when they're in a coma!

That was always the way things went between them, though, wasn't it? Trading insults instead of jokes, exchanging blows instead of words. Offering only a closed fist when what was really needed was a helping hand. Why did it have to be that way between them? He knew he was no saint, his own pride and his father's stupid teachings had made sure of that, but Ryouga was no better, always so quick to anger and always jumping to conclusions.

He growled in frustration; why wasn't anything _working_? Why couldn't he figure this out? He winced as a familiar tingle of fear ran up his spine. Dark memories reared up in the back of his mind, visions of a black void, a void filled only with gleaming eyes and tearing claws.

He squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his forehead until it rested on his rival’s. He hated feeling helpless because it always reminded him of... that time.

"T-that... won't w-work," came a wheezing and pained voice from above him.

Ranma looked up in shock. Standing above him, somehow, was the dark Titan, her hood pulled up, bathing her face in shadow. He could still see her eyes, though; they shone with barely contained tears as she bit down on her own lip to distract from the pain. He could scarcely believe that she was still conscious, let alone _walking_ and _speaking_. Even with her robes drawn around her, he could see the outline of her arm hanging at an unnatural angle, as well as a slowly spreading patch of darkness beneath her cloak.

He could only stare, his jaw slowly raising and lowering in astonishment. How on earth could this seemingly fragile girl contain the agony she must be feeling? The broken arm was only the most obvious injury that he could pick out. His trained eyes easily cataloged an entire list of wounds on the girl's body, the most troubling of all appearing to be at least two, maybe three broken ribs. Not to mention all the dire ramifications that those broken ribs could represent. This young woman possessed a will more powerful than anyone he had ever seen before... and for some reason he felt a great sadness welling up in his heart at that. There was obviously a reason that she had that much self-control, and whatever it was, it was something that Ranma himself didn't even want to imagine.

The hooded girl hobbled down into the crater that housed the two master martial artists, coming to kneel by his side. She looked up at him again with those unique violet orbs, filled with barely repressed pain.

"He's comp... completely retreated cough into his own min-" Her explanation was cut off as she hissed in pain and clutched her side. Instinctively, he reached out and carefully grabbed her shoulder, mindful not to jostle her injured side. The now darkened interior of the church nearly swallowed the Gothic girl completely, even as she knelt in the rubble right beside him, but even more than that, he got the feeling that she was one wrong turn away from joining Ryouga in shock. It was just too much to take in.

"Raven, are _you_ alright? I don't know what's going on with Ryouga's mind right now, but he's not nearly as hurt as you are. We need to get you to a _hospital_ ," he stated in concern. He felt bad about neglecting his friend, but he'd feel worse if he ignored the wounded girl. He was sure Ryouga would agree with him.

The Titan waved off his concerns with her good hand. "I – _can_ – handle it," she bit out through gritted teeth. This only caused him to frown further; there was no way that he was going to let her push herself in her condition. Gently, he pulled her in and prepared to pick her up so that he could carry her to safety. It wouldn't take too long, and then he could come back and make the Headmaster pay for what he had done to his friends.

The empathic girl obviously sensed his motives and pushed him away weakly. She then matched his gaze with an intense one of her own.

"Ranma, don't worry... about me. We need to stop the Headmaster and save my friends - that's the _only_ thing that matters here. You should be more concerned with Ryouga's condition than with mine," she muttered darkly.

He growled to himself internally, why did he seem to attract all the most stubborn and _pigheaded_ girls in the world? In retrospect, Raven and Ryouga would have made a perfect couple; neither of them seemed to be able to listen to common sense!

"Are you crazy? I'll admit, I'm worried as all heck about the Lost Boy right now, but _he_ doesn't have _three_ broken ribs and _he_ isn't potentially bleeding internally or in danger of puncturing a lung! I know you might have all kinda crazy powers that I'll probly never understand, but not even _you_ are gonna be able to help anyone if ya drop dead right now!" he shouted back angrily. Why did people never listen to him? It was infuriating; and this was one of the few things that he _was_ an expert on.

His outburst seemed to have some effect on the injured girl, as a look of consideration entered her expression. Slowly she raised her good hand, a flickering blue aura beginning to form around it. He stared at it in awe, whatever it was, it wasn't ki, not at all.

"You are right; I won't be able to fight in my condition. You are-“ She let out a short gasp. “-also correct about me having powers that you cannot understand." She lifted her now hazy blue hand before them.

"I-I can use my power to... remove a person's injury. It can't heal an injury as severe as this completely, but it should at least be able to stabilize it." With that, she pressed her faintly glowing hand against her injured side, wincing harshly at the contact.

Slowly, the bluish glow drained from her palm and saturated into the flesh beneath it. He didn't really understand how her powers worked at all, he wasn't even sure what the blue energy was doing, but her breathing began to come in more steady and controlled breaths.

" _Wow_ ," was about all he could think to say at the amazing display of her powers. Now there was a trick that he wished he could learn. "Do you think that would work on ol'porkbutt here? Ya'know, jolt him outta whatever kinda trance that he's in?"

Raven inhaled slowly before answering him. "I'm afraid not, it's not a physical injury that is the problem here." Again, she drew in a calming and controlled breath. "For a lack of a better term, I would say that he is... lost in his own mind."

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He tried to stop himself, he really did. Even in the face of the glare forming in Raven's eyes, he just couldn't keep the smile from forming on his face. The dark girl's glare only deepened as he fought to contain the borderline manic mirth that was bubbling up in him.

"Don't – say – a _word_ ," she decreed.

" _Snrk_ – I – I didn't say anything, Raven," he replied, with only minor difficulty. It seemed to mollify the girl, as she returned her gaze to the comatose boy before them.

"I'm just relieved that the more things change ' _snicker'_ the more they stay the same," he added with a weak smile. He hadn't wanted to say it, but the whole situation was just too absurd, even for them.

The smile died a quick death, though, when he saw the haunted look on Raven's face. It cast a pall over the young woman's features as she regarded the fanged boy's expressionless face. Tentatively, he again reached out and grasped her shoulder. He cringed a bit as she flinched at his touch. "Are you _sure_ that you're okay Raven? You seem pretty shaken up."

She turned to face him, the fear slowly draining from her eyes as she looked away from the bandanna clad boy. She couldn't seem to match his gaze, looking down and away even as she began to speak. "I - I never knew that he could be like... _that_. I know it seems strange; Cologne told me how he was when he fought. But... the entire time that I knew him, he was so incredibly kind and sweet." A solitary tear trailed down the girl’s cheek, marking an erratic path as the Titan shivered in a nonexistent chill.

Ranma didn't know what to say. He felt pity for his poor, foolish friend. Once again, the Lost Boy's unthinking rage had cost him something extremely precious. He wished - he wished that he could lie to Raven, tell her that it wasn't really Ryouga that did it, that it was all the brainwashing, but he just couldn't do it. He knew the wanderer too well, and that _had_ been Ryouga that he had been fighting out in the street, of that he had no doubt-

His train of thought was derailed when he felt Raven's good hand wrap around his arm. He had to lean in to hear Raven's next words as she continued.

"When I saw him flying through the air at me... The expression on his face, he – he made me think of my - of my father," she whispered quietly, "I don't like to think about my father."

She then turned away from him completely, biting her lip once more with delicate fangs.

He was about to ask her what she meant, when the sound of running feet filled the moonlit interior of the massive stone church. Where both of their initial reactions had been to leap to their feet to investigate the noise, what resulted was more of a stumbling lurch, which eventually raised them to a standing position.

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief when Akane came skidding to a stop at the edge of the depression that Ryouga had created. The girl's dark hair was slightly mussed, and her clothing was in only a minor state of disarray, a look halfway between excitement and panic was spread across her face. He chuckled to himself, it looked like he was right, his Akane could handle these so-called super villains easily.

"Ranma! What _happened_ in here? One minute we were fighting an army of Billys and the next they all vanish without a trace; and then we see the entire church lit up like a _Christmas_ _tree_. I could have sworn it looked like Ryouga was going to do one of his perfect Shi Shi Houkodans," she blurted out quickly. He could only stare at her joyously; somehow, the mere sight of her lightened his heart even after all the tragedy that he had just witnessed. His fiancée sure could be cute sometimes. It was times like this that made him wonder how he could ever call her uncute.

A finger loudly snapped an inch in front of his face.

"Hello! Earth to _Ranma_! What's going on here? Did you knock Ryouga out, _again_? Honestly, you can be such a _jerk_ sometimes," grumbled the annoyed looking girl standing above him.

Oh, right, now he remembered.

"Sheesh, Akane, you're _so_ uncute! I didn't knock him out, he kinda knocked himself out... I think," he replied.

She looked back, a skeptical look in her eyes. "Well, then what happened, all three of you look like heck."

Ranma took a moment to consider everything that happened, then took a deep breath.

"We don't have time for this; we have to find the others, _now_." Only too be cut off by Raven's monotone drone. The girl then suited word to action, slowly moving towards the elevator and away from the martial artists.

With only slight annoyance at the girl's stubbornness, he placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her out of the crater towards Akane. "Akane, help Raven, she's not really in any condition to be walking around on her own." He then knelt and dragged Ryouga to his feet, looping the boy's arm around his shoulder so that they were standing side by side, sort of.

He struggled for a moment, trying to drag the massive dead weight of his friend, until suddenly his burden lightened considerably. He looked over in confusion, until he noticed Konatsu wrapping the Lost Boy’s other arm around his delicate looking shoulders. The legendary ninja looked over to him and smiled happily. "You don't seem to be in much better shape yourself, Mr. Ranma, why don't you let me help you?"

The Saotome heir smiled, starting to feel a second wind finally arrive. Then his gaze traveled across the destroyed interior of the once magnificent building they were in. Next, he took in the troubled and pained expression that had come to rest on Raven's bruised face as she stared at Ryouga's still form. Finally, he looked once more into the unblinking eyes of his friend, which seemed to see nothing at all. Slowly his smile collapsed into a very grim expression indeed.

"Let's go find that bastard."

* * *

Nabiki was somewhat impressed as she watched Robin and Starfire battle her two fellow classmates. Not so much for their combat abilities, she'd lived with the likes of Ranma Saotome, after all, she'd seen much, much better than the masked crime fighter. Nor was she impressed by the duo's ability to battle the combined forces of Instigator and XL Terrestrial, those two were, by no means, the most powerful of her classmates.

Instigator, who consisted bizarrely of a massive fleshy face jammed into the center of an oversized robot’s torso, though strong, was woefully slow, both in mind and body. That and he was creepy as all hell to look at, she shuddered slightly at the thought of the freakish machine/man. XL Terrestrial, one of the thankfully silent members of her class, seemed to have no other talents asides from growing to immense heights. While many might consider that to be a great power, to Nabiki it was an inexcusable liability. What the alien boy gained in size and power, he more than lost in speed, coordination, and subtlety. No, Nabiki had no illusions whatsoever that those two would do anything aside from delay the two superheroes for a few more vital minutes.

What _really_ impressed the mercenary queen was the teamwork that the two heroes demonstrated. She watched as Starfire and Robin nimbly danced and floated around their enemies, only to instantly switch opponents at some unseen signal. Suddenly the massive alien that had been slapping ineptly towards the ceiling trying to flatten the flying girl, found both his feet encased in miniature glaciers and a violent little boy thrashing away at his knees. At the same time, the metallic body of Instigator was crushed mercilessly into the floor, as Starfire dropped down onto the cyborg with the force of a green tailed comet. The shock wave from the impact nearly mussed up Nabiki's brunette locks, even from across the room.

It was so strange to watch and yet compelling at the same time; to watch two people so in tune with each other, that complimented each other so perfectly. It was like each hero knew what the other was thinking, even when their attention was focused in completely different directions. Whenever one was in danger, the other would be there to get them out of it, whenever one of them set up their opponent, the other would be there to land the attack.

Beside her, Mammoth cringed and looked away as a particularly spectacular explosion rocked the chamber. " _Ouch_ , that one had to hurt," muttered the massive youth. He then turned to her. "Nabiki, um, not that I'm a big fan of those guys, but, shouldn't we, ya'know, _help_ them out or somethin?"

Nabiki returned the boy's gaze and simply raised an eyebrow in question. It seemed to have the desired effect, as Mammoth looked to the floor in defeat. "Yeah, yeah, I know. 'The PLAN' and all that stuff. I dunno, just feels wrong watchin our buddies getting thrashed and not doin nuthin," stated the boy quietly.

The middle Tendo sister let out a low sigh. She supposed she couldn't hold it against the large student, he did seem to be loyal to the people he actually considered friends. "Mammoth, I know it's hard to let those goody vigilantes over there do whatever they want, but you _know_ why this needs to happen." She then lifted her right wrist and pointed to the bulky watch like device which adorned it.

It was Mammoth's turn to sigh as he looked down at the matching device that adorned his wrist as well. He then looked to the wrists of the other students that were clustered away from the battle that raged. Gizmo, Kyd Wykkyd, a Billy Numerous and even Kasumi, who had just joined them after traversing the room, each of them also wore a matching device on their wrists. The very same devices that were noticeably absent from both XL and Instigator, not to mention all the other students in the Academy.

Nabiki smiled warmly and patted the simple teen on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Big Guy, those are the good guys out there, they won't hurt our classmates anymore than necessary. And as soon as everyone else gets here, then we can get this show underway," she assured all of her companions as best as she could.

The weak smiles and nervous nods she got in return were about all that she could expect at this point. Even she herself, the ice queen of Furinkan high, was feeling butterflies in her stomach.

She tried to calm her nerves by returning her attention to the battle before them. Her classmates were putting up a surprisingly good fight; Ryouga's little lessons had paid off somewhat at least. Still, the outcome was inevitable. She allowed a small smile to grace her crimson lips, the better that Robin and Starfire fought, the better her chances of success.

Idly, she wondered just how formidable Ranma and all his little friends could have been if they had ever actually learned to fight together. As it was, the only times the Nerimian martial artists would join forces was if there was a massive threat present and _even then_ they usually fought with each other as much as they did with whatever prince or monster they happened to be fighting.

In fact, watching the two superheroes in such perfect coordination was starting to give her a few ideas of her own.

Another explosion rocked the cavernous room, this one coloring the entire chamber neon green for a second. It was followed by a loud crash which signaled Instigator's exit from the battle. Now it was just XL against the two teen heroes, and that would only last for a matter of moments.

She looked again to the device that hugged her delicate wrist, nervousness gnawing away at her sense of calm.

She just hoped that her monolithic classmate would last long enough.

* * *

Bumble Bee discreetly gazed at her companion from the corner of her eye. Every now and then her eyes would nervously travel to the shiny metal implement that the brunette held in a veritable death grip. Though the winged girl was certain that she had managed to smooth things over with the irritable chef after their little row, she was still a little nervous about her companion's temper.

She also noticed Ukyou returning her untrusting gaze. The girl was giving her the benefit of the doubt, but apparently didn't trust her any further than she could throw her. She let out a resigned sigh as they exited the cafeteria and made their way back to the intersection where they had split off from Angel and Ukyou's scantily clad companion. After they went and saved the young gymnast from her fellow classmate, then she could lead the two strange Japanese girls to the detention center.

The undercover hero let out another long sigh. It was going to be difficult battling Angel and her fellow students after all this time. Angel had grown to be a good friend, even as they playfully competed over that handsome but simpleminded swordsman. She shook her head sadly. Maybe she had been here too long? Sure, she had only infiltrated this whole place just to bring down the Headmaster and break up his little school of villainy. But still, she'd be lying to herself if she said she hadn't had fun for the past few months.

The time since Ryouga had first arrived had been especially memorable. Ever since the boy and his unusual companions from Nerima arrived on the scene; well it was like the entire feeling of the Hive Academy changed. Almost overnight the academy had changed from feeling like a fancy school, to almost feeling like a home, complete with family.

The Tendo sisters worked their way into everyone's hearts. Kasumi, the sweet, caring mother figure that pretty much everyone in the entire Academy was missing. Nabiki, the witty and ingenious older sister that everyone looked up to and who had really pulled them together as a team for the first time that anyone could remember.

Then, of course, there were the boys. A dreamy look entered her eyes as they marched on absently. Kunou, Ryouga and Mousse, they were all dreamboats in their own way. Kunou with his sharp and aristocratic features. Ryouga with his roguish and rugged demeanor, not to mention that goofy grin of his. And finally, Mousse, now that boy had some _nice_ hair and the most _beautiful_ eyes that she had ever seen.

Unfortunately, Mousse hadn't joined them until much later, so she had never actually gotten a chance to get to know the guy. They had _all_ gotten to know Ryouga, however, and not only had he fit in at the school, he had managed to do the impossible. Ryouga had made Jinx _happy_ , really happy, perhaps for the first time since Bumble Bee had known the girl.

And she couldn't forget Kunou, that achingly handsome samurai that had captured her fancy so thoroughly. Sure, he was about as bright as he was progressive in his social views, but every once in a while, he managed to say just the right thing to keep her interest. She certainly hoped that after all the deception and brainwashing was out of the way, that she'd have at least one more chance to speak to the tall, sword toting warrior.

As for the rest of her classmates? Well, she knew she would miss them all in her own small way. She wasn't even quite sure if she was up to actually fighting these people that had, up until about ten minutes ago, been her friends and colleagues.

She let out another beleaguered sigh as they passed through the intersection and began heading to the gym.

"Sheesh! Would you quit _doing that_? You've sighed like, ten times in the two minutes that we've been walking! Is my company really _that_ boring?" blurted out the young chef.

Bumble Bee looked over at the girl beside her, noticing the ghost of a smile that graced her face as she asked that last question. She returned a weak smile of her own. "It's not that. I'm just feeling a bit bad; a few of these people are kinda my friends in a weird way," she admitted.

Ukyou nodded in response. "I guess I can see that, you’ve been cooped up here for quite a while trying to take down whoever is running this place; guess you got some kind of Stockholm syndrome, eh Sugar?" the chef chuckled good naturedly at her own small joke.

The young bee striped girl laughed a bit herself. "I suppose that's one way to look at it. Still, we better help your friend. The sooner we can get the Titans free, the sooner we can take down the Headmaster and get everyone out from under his control. After that we can figure out what to do about everyone."

Ukyou raised an eyebrow at that. "First off, Kodachi is _not_ my friend. And secondly, what makes you think that she's the one that's gonna need saving? In case you've forgotten in the five minutes since it happened, I was the one that was kicking your fanny all over the place," stated the overly proud chef.

Bumble Bee glared at that and dropped her fists on her hips. "Oh, I'm sorry; I must have been watching a different fight. The one that _I_ was in was the one where you were flat on your back, Sister! Ah-hem, in case you've forgotten in the five minutes since it happened, wasn't I the one that _saved_ your pastry-slingin life?"

Ukyou growled and leaned forward, pointing an accusing finger. "Excuse _me_? If it hadn't been for your crazy eyed boyfriend back there double teaming me, you wouldn't have lasted two minutes, Sugar!"

Two minutes? _Two minutes_! Why that stuck up little - "Well maybe you're looking for rematch then, Sister!"

"Maybe I am, _Sugar_!"

"Oh, well you're gonna _get_ one."

"Hopefully, this next one will actually be _interesting,_ then!" growled the irate chef.

Bumble Bee growled herself, at the chef's endless ego.

"All you martial arts types think you're just so much damn _better_ than the rest of us, don't you?" she demanded angrily. Even Ryouga and the boys, whom she actually liked, they all strutted around as if their fancy moves made them better than everyone else in the academy.

The annoyed chef leaned forward, matching her heated look.

"Well why shouldn't we?" she asked hotly. "Me, Ranchan, Ryouga, we actually _earned_ our skills. We all train everyday, pushing ourselves to the limit and beyond to perfect our arts. You super types, you just luck into your powers! What the heck did you ever do to _earn_ your strength, what sacrifice did you make for the gifts that you have?"

Bumble Bee faltered slightly at that, not completely sure how to answer. "Hey! I work as hard as any of you! I push myself beyond the human limit too."

Ukyou leaned back at that, a spitefully superior smirk on her face. "Yeah, must be a _real_ challenge, considering you were never even human to begin with," she uttered cuttingly.

She gasped loudly. Her hand raised to her chest, trying to crush the stabbing pain that entered her heart, even as she felt tears trying to form in her eyes. The chef's words had stung worse than any sting she had ever inflicted on anyone.

The superior smirk on Ukyou's face slowly faded away to nothing as she noticed the effects that her words had. The girl then tentatively reached out a hand. "I'm sorry Bee, I didn't mean it like that. I-I don't even know why I said it in the first place. Heck, you're just as normal as any of my friends."

Bumble Bee chuckled dryly at that. "Oh thanks, now I feel even _worse_."

Ukyou returned her small laugh and smiled encouragingly. "To be honest... I'm a little jealous of you. I mean, I can train forever, but nothing I ever do will ever let me fly like you do. It must be pretty incredible, I bet."

She nodded. "You better believe it. Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you like that, you and I aren't so different. We're both sexy, butt-whooping babes; and we both got good heads on our shoulders too. How can you beat a combination like that?" she joked.

Suddenly the entire corridor rocked as an explosion rang through the complex. A garish green glow filtered down the hallway and through the intersection they had just passed through. Ukyou could only look in shock while Bumble Bee put the situation together in her head.

"Looks like Starfire got herself out already. Let's hurry and get your friend, it looks like the party has already started," she explained optimistically.

They were shocked again when the massive gym doors behind them slammed open with a metallic clang. They both spun quickly to see the panicked and scurrying figure of a winged girl barrel through the entrance. Not too far behind the girl, walking rather sedately, was the chef’s unusual companion.

Ukyou looked over to her in that moment, a look that just screamed _‘I told you so’_ plastered smugly on her face. It was all she could do to stop herself from popping the girl one in the nose.

"So, Bee, what are you gonna do about your friend?" she asked slyly.

Bumble Bee sighed loudly.

"I'll try to let her down gently."

* * *

Cyborg sped down the corridor as quickly as his actuators would carry him. He had no idea which way Kasumi had taken his friends, so he had decided to default and retracing his steps to the facility's entrance. The cybernetic teen figured that at least he had a chance of joining up with whoever it was that was coming to rescue them that way. Whoever it was that Raven had managed to bring together, not to mention whoever was actually crazy enough to stage a head on assault on the main headquarters of a super villain training ground, he was eager to meet them.

That unearthly howl that he had heard coming from the other direction, that had hardly factored into his decision at all. Really!

Of course, he wasn't sure just how much help he would be even if he did meet up with his would-be rescuers. He glared in annoyance to his right arm. After overloading it completely to defeat See-more, it was now a dead grey color, still smoking slightly. Even worse, the defunct limb was stuck in its sonic cannon configuration, like _that_ would be useful. Well, at least he still had motor functions in the arm itself, he might not be blasting anyone, anytime soon, but at least he could still move the dang thing.

Still, it had been worth it, just to see the look on See-more's face when he had activated the forcefield around the boy. He was still laughing silently to himself about that. He loved irony, well, at least on those exceedingly rare occasions where it wasn't turning its ugly head his way. That was the last time he got left behind to deal with the lackeys though; he was probably missing out of all the real fun-

The shout of shock and pain, coupled with the muted sensation of some unfortunate soul bouncing off his titanium chest, shook him from his reverie. He slammed on the brakes as quickly as he could, just in time to avoid trampling the athletic frame of the person that had collided with him.

Almost without thinking, he reached out his good hand to help the girl up, until-

" _Augh! Dammit_! Why don't you watch where the _hell_ you're going?" growled the almost-pink-haired girl as she rubbed a hand vigorously across her forehead.

" _Crap! Jinx_!" he shouted in shock. He jumped back several steps and trained his, defunct sonic cannon on her slight form. He hadn't even recognized the girl until she had spoken, her hair completely fallen out of its usually bizarre style, now flowing over her shoulders, and nearly obscuring her face in a wave of red-stained, pink. He swallowed nervously, as terrible as it sounded, considering she was the enemy and she looked really hurt, it made her look really... _pretty_.

The girl looked up at his sudden outburst, a look of stark antipathy marring her features. He was startled to see tears running freely down her face, as if she weren’t even aware of them anymore. Slowly the girl rose to her feet. She then rubbed a torn sleeve roughly across her cheeks, dashing her tears. "Oh, it's only _you_. I thought it might have been someone that was worth a damn," she muttered hatefully.

He growled at her insult. "Don't even _move_ , girl!" he demanded nervously. Man, he hoped she didn't notice the shape his cannon was in.

If anything, the girl's features became even more despondent. Ignoring his weapon completely, the girl took a purposeful step forward. Her emotionless gaze bore into his eyes as she stared at him... expectantly? "Well, Titan, what are you waiting for? Blast me already, get it over with... _it's what I deserve._ " The last part was muttered so quietly a normal human’s hearing likely would have missed it.

W-what was she doing? What game was she playing? Apparently, she was buying his bluff, but wasn't backing down.

"Stop right there!" he barked again. " _Don't_ make me shoot you, Jinx!"

Jinx let out a shallow bark of mirthless laughter. "Figures I'd get stuck with the only Titan that didn't have the _stones_ to actually put me down," she spat out spitefully. Pink sparks began to dance worryingly from the girl’s delicate fingertips as she took another belligerent step forward.

"Well, today's your lucky day, Titan. I'm gonna make this _real_ easy for you." He gulped nervously and took another step backwards as the dangerous girl's eyes began to burn with molten pink ire. "In ten seconds, I'm going to _kill_ you. No special tricks, no empty threats."

Slowly she lifted her arms above her head, the sparks blooming into swirling pink flames that danced all the way to her elbows. "This is it, you have seven seconds left to finish me. If you don't, then... you die," she finished as plainly as if she were speaking of the weather.

Cyborg grimaced at the terrifyingly emotionless tone in the girl's voice. He watched as the fate bending energies flowed and swelled around her hands, just waiting to unleash their wrath upon him. What the hell was Jinx doing? What the hell was _he_ going to do? Damn his overly successful bluff!

Jinx glared at him as she counted down silently to herself, until, "Time's _up_ , Titan! I hope the rest of you is up there in Heaven waiting for you!"

Her hands hung in the air for one more, ponderously long moment. Jinx gazed at him expectantly for one last tick of the clock, waiting for something... anything...

And then the moment passed.

Jinx cried out in hoarse rage as she swept her arms forward, unleashing the maelstrom of chaotic energies that she had gathered. The mass of cotton candy doom rolled his way, all he could do was look away and cover his face as he screamed in panic. His cry only doubled at the sound of the deafening shriek of twisting steel and the howl of burning air, as the entire corridor collapsed in... all... around...

...Huh?

Tentatively, Cyborg lowered his arms and looked over his shoulder. He looked upon the ruin of the hallway some ten feet behind him. The entire corridor was shut off, twisted steel, shattered glass and sparking wires filled every inch of the space now. He swallowed dryly; there was _no_ way that he would have survived an attack like that.

He looked back to the girl before him, still bent forward and breathing in ragged gasps from her exertion. Jinx looked at him, an expression of complete confusion and outrage burned on her features. How the heck had she missed him? He was less than ten feet away from the girl. There was just no way!

"What the hell are you doing, Titan? I could have _killed_ you! What's your damage, you _moron_ **!"** screamed the girl in disbelief.

S-she had been bluffing _him?_ Damn, that was ironic! He chuckled helplessly before pointing to his malfunctioning limb. "Um... this is. Sonic cannon is totally fried, I couldn't have shot you even if I wanted to," he admitted.

"...mhmh heheh... " it started out as a tiny giggle.

He smiled wider as the absurdity of the situation made itself apparent to the teenage witch.

"Heh heh heh ha hah!" she continued to laugh at the situation.

Well, what were the odds of two people bluffing each other like that? On the bright side, he seemed to have snapped her out of whatever weird mood she had been in-

" _HahaHAHHA **AHAHAHAHA**_ **!** "

His good mood died a horrible death, as suddenly her quiet giggle exploded into full blown, manic laughter. Not the good kind of 'football to the groin' manic laughter either. No, this was the unhinged 'about three seconds from a complete nervous breakdown' kind of manic laughter.

And it scared the hell out of him.

"Jinx?" he uttered uncertainly. Oh man, what on earth was he supposed to do now? He looked around nervously. He sure hoped no one walked in on this, he couldn't even imagine what kind of conclusions would be drawn. What could possibly be worse than dealing with a manically laughing girl on the edge?

Wait! Wait a sec! He hadn't meant to ask that-

He was totally unprepared when Jinx's uncontrolled laughter broke down into uncontrolled sobbing. He was even less prepared for when the girl ran forward and buried her tear stained face into his massive chest and began crying in that gut wrenching, heart breaking, body wracking way that instantly makes any male present feel instantly guilty/useless/clueless.

This time he looked around helplessly. "Man, what did I do to deserve this?" he whispered to himself.

Hadn't he just been righteously kicking villain butt like, five minutes ago? How on earth had he gone from combating the enemy, to comforting the enemy?

With a heavy sigh, Cyborg tentatively raised him arms and encircled the crying girl in a comforting embrace. Gently, he ran a functioning hand through her blood slicked hair as he whispered reassuring sounds into her ear. His eyes narrowed at the blood that stained the pretty girl’s hair; Jinx looked like she was in bad shape, emotionally and physically. Who had done this, and why had it been necessary to hurt the girl so?

After a few minutes that felt like eternities, her cries settled into sniffles, then into silence once more. The blissful silence lasted for a few moments before Jinx finally broke it.

"Gods, Cyborg, why couldn't you have just put me out of my misery?" she muttered darkly, "He hates me now, he hates me, and I just want to lie down and _die_ ," she added cryptically.

He looked down at her, feeling a strange sense of sympathy rising up within him. "Who hates you? And who could possibly be worth you ending yourself over?"

She looked up, matching his gaze with her pink, tear filled eyes. "Ryouga hates me! I-I love him, I love him _so_ much... and now, because of what I've done, he hates me." She let out another pained cry with her admission.

Huh? What the heck? Jinx actually _liked_ Ryouga? He thought that had all been a ruse to throw them off balance. Had something real come of that? It seemed unlikely, but seeing this self-proclaimed super villainess in such a state before him. Maybe, just maybe it was possible.

"Now, Jinx, sure things look bad, but some guy hating you is _not_ worth killing yourself over. This isn't some romance novel here, life is too precious to waste like that," he stated for the distraught girl. Hopefully, she wasn't too upset over this.

" _Shut up_! Shut the hell up! I don't need your holier than thou crap! Get it through your rust coated brain Titan, _I've – lost – him_ **!** And none of your after school special bullcrap is gonna make that any better!" she yelled out furiously. Then she angrily tore herself from his arms and stepped back away from him, glaring hatefully at him. Damn! He was losing her.

"Jinx! Everything is gonna be alright! You just need to calm down," he ordered. He moved forward slowly, gently raising and lowering his hands in a calming manner.

"Calm down? Calm _down_! Don't you understand, you piece of Titan _trash_? I'm a worthless failure, I've done nothing but hurt everyone around me. I've lost the only man that I've ever loved and – _I – want – to – **DIE**_!" the girl's voice tore painfully as she screamed her pain to the world.

His scream joined hers, when suddenly she dove forward and slammed her head into his metal chest with horrifying force. A sickening crunch echoed through the hall as her delicate skull collided with the indestructible armor of his torso. His terrified scream only increased as the insensate girl bounced off his hide, a flash of crimson spraying into the air from the jagged new cut that adorned her face.

Something snapped in his head, even as the girl began to collapse backwards to the ground, he snarled in outrage. Unable to even control himself, his hand flew out and slapped the girl across the cheek, rocking her head to the side. Almost instantly after that, he grabbed her arm harshly and pulled the shocked girl within an inch of his steely face.

"Are you _insane_?" he howled into the girl’s blood-soaked face. Almost immediately, her eyes ceased their aimless rolling and focused sharply on his human eye. "You think you're the only one that's been hurt in this? You think no one else feels like you do right now?" he demanded furiously. He then pushed her away, a look of disgust on his face. "Get the _hell_ over yourself!"

A matching mask of rage burned onto Jinx's features. "You're damn right that I'm the only one that's feeling torn up like this! You have _no idea_ what I'm feeling right now, you pompous prick! What the hell do you know about suffering, anyway?" she demanded hatefully.

Rage blossomed in his chest, like nothing he'd felt in years. He grabbed the fateful girl harshly and pulled her within an inch of his face for the second time in as many minutes.

" _Look – at – me!"_ He pointed angrily to his own robotic skull, ironically with his malfunctioning cybernetic arm. "What the _hell_ do _you_ know about suffering? Can you imagine the pain of having your body torn asunder by some unholy beast from another dimension? Can you even _fathom_ the _exquisite_ agony of watching your own - _damn_ **–** _Mother_ being liquefied before your one remaining eye?"

He stared meaningfully into her catlike eyes with his single glistening orb, ignoring her gasp of shock. "You make a few stupid mistakes, and you lose a boyfriend? That's your big tragedy? That's worth ending it all over? What the hell happened to you, Jinx? I never liked you, but damn if I didn't _respect_ you. You're tough girl, tougher than this. Hell, you can stand up to _me_ in a fight, I cannot accept that you're this sniveling little girl in front of me," he finished, slowly losing the red hot anger that had brought him this far.

Jinx could only stare at him, her delicate lips trembling and eyes glistening with unshed tears. As gently as he could, he released her shaking arm and stepped away. Her shocked look faded quickly though; he could almost see her internal struggle to rebuild the front that had protected her for so long.

"Hmph, yeah... well, it's not like I asked you for your life story or anything, Titan," she muttered grudgingly. Bitterly, she crossed her arms and looked away.

His eyes narrowed a bit. "Um, ya kinda did right there. Ya know, I'm just trying to put things in perspective for ya, no need to cop a 'tude on me, girl," he grumbled in annoyance himself.

Jinx's eyes rolled at that. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, I'm _sorry_ ," she apologized, not quite as half heartedly as she would have liked to, "It's just – just that it hurts _so much_." A narrowly aborted sob shook her shoulders as she admitted that last bit. The cybernetic teen let out a small sigh, he hadn't wanted to make her feel worse there.

"Jinx, I didn't say that what you just went through wasn't bad. You've been through a lot of really bad crap, lately. I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed. You think I never thought of doin' the same thing?" he asked the shaken girl.

She looked up at him, a look of disbelief betraying her brave front. He let a small, sincere smile form on his lips. "Thing is, I know that you and me, we got a lot in common. We're both fighters, we're both forces to be reckoned with, for _whoever_ gets in our way. And we're both _definitely_ the best looking members of our respective teams!"

He smiled further as the tiny girl giggled helplessly at his equally small joke.

"And, without any doubt, I _know_ that you are strong enough to get past this. You're a super villain for goodness' sake, when have you ever let anything stop you?" he asked seriously.

Again, she nodded, not smiling, not even close, but the deadness had left her eyes at least. "I know this might sound crazy, but... do you think that Ryouga could ever – ever forgive me?" she asked, a not completely resigned note sounding in her voice.

He honestly wished that he knew the answer to that question. Hell, even if he did, would he tell her? Did he really want to encourage her to reconcile with Ryouga? He knew that Raven really liked the boy as well. Shouldn't he be helping one of his closest friends, rather than counseling her main rival?

Silence reigned as he stared into the vast expanses of her eyes. Usually the girl's eyes twinkled with mischief when he saw her, but now - now they were like open windows, it was almost like he could see all of her feelings as clearly as if she had beamed the info in infrared. He let out a resigned sigh, sure Raven liked the guy, but – but this girl, this crazy, messed-up girl, she absolutely and without a doubt, loved the Lost Boy.

How could he interfere with that and still hold onto any shred of his conscience?

"Honestly, Jinx, I don't really know him that well, myself. But let me ask you this and I want you to answer just as honestly," he started.

She looked back at him expectantly, waiting on his every word.

"Do you honestly – _honestly_ think that Ryouga loved you back? Were any of his feelings for you real, or just a trick of the mind? Can you tell me, here and now and without a shadow of a doubt, that Ryouga Hibiki loved you?" he queried as matter-of-factly as he could.

The pink haired girl looked away, an expression of intense concentration blooming on her face as she considered his question. For a moment, uncertainty tainted the young sorceress' gaze as she racked her memories of her time with the boy. It didn't last long though, finally she looked back, locking his gaze with a gaze of utter seriousness.

"Yes, I _know_ he does. It was right after I had released him from the Headmaster's control, it only lasted for a moment, but I know I saw it. Hibiki Ryouga, he – he loves... _m-m-me_... " Her heartfelt declaration dissolved into a heart wrenching cry of anguish, as she revisited just what it was that she had lost.

He smiled a bittersweet smile at that; he knew she was telling the truth. How could anyone possibly lie in such a way? As gently as he could, he dipped a finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his.

"I believe you, Jinx; I believe that Ryouga loves you, just like you love him. So now, answer this one last question. I promise, if you get this right, there won't be anymore," he whispered, chuckling silently.

"Imagine yours and Ryouga's places were reversed. Imagine all the terrible things that you believe you have done to him for as long as you have known him. Imagine every single way in which you have wronged that boy," he started out slowly. He winced as Jinx's face fell further into despair at each sentence.

"Now, Jinx, imagine that, instead of you doing all of that to him, that he had done all of that terrible stuff to you. That he had violated your mind, betrayed your trust, stole your freedom," he continued. "Now, Jinx... were your roles reversed..."

He paused a moment, to let the seriousness of his question sink in.

"Would you forgive him?"

* * *

Cologne followed Happosai down yet another of the complex's seemingly endless corridors. If it weren't for her exceptionally keen mind, she'd probably be totally turned around, considering the winding route that the aged pervert seemed to be taking. One had to wonder how the Hibiki boy made it around at the best of times. Still, Happi had claimed to know where the children were gathering and that he knew a good place to go and watch the show.

She chuckled mirthlessly to herself. Things seemed to be getting out of hand much quicker than usual when her son-in-law was involved. Already she had sensed not one, but two massive surges of ki from the surface above them. Indeed, she had nearly prepared to make peace with her ancestors when the second swell of ki had burst forth. Considering the terrible power she had felt, that and the fact that they were practically right underneath it.

The aged warrior hadn't sensed any other surges of spiritual energy since that though, so it seemed likely that Ranma had somehow contained the situation. Of course, knowing that one situation was resolved just reminded her of another more imminent problem. The bestial howl that had echoed through the halls several minutes ago had been too familiar. Happosai had no idea what it had meant, but she knew quite keenly what the wail heralded.

She let out a sigh. So now, instead of two fool boys on the surface, she now had a fool boy in this complex to worry about. She certainly hoped that no one of any significance to her ran into the temperamental lad in his current state. It was something that she might just have to deal with personally.

Hmm, that was the second time that she had considered intervening in this situation. As a rule, she always tried to avoid actually getting involved with her son-in-law’s affairs. How else would the boy and all his friends increase their power if she fought all their battles for them, honestly? But her recent run-in with that Headmaster fellow had seriously tempted her to forsake that rule for a moment.

She shivered slightly as they ran down the hall. The Headmaster possessed a vile and powerful will, she had been awed at the sheer might of his psyche. Truthfully, the man's only mistake in their encounter had been when he thought she had dropped her guard. Feh, as if a master such as herself would drop her guard before an unknown threat for even a second. It was only through pure force of will and her centuries of discipline that she had been able to repel the attack. Had the man caught her unawares as he had first imagined, things might have gone quite differently indeed.

It was exactly that instant of fear that she had felt, her, the greatest warrior of her tribe, that had nearly made her end the man's life. Luckily Happosai had been there to stop her; it was unseemly for an Elder of her status to lose her calm in such a way.

Of course, that now left her son-in-law and his companions, new and old, with a profoundly serious threat on the loose.

"Here we are, Cologne! What a view, eh?" laughed the old man in amusement.

She let out a low whistle at the spectacle that was unfurling some forty feet below them. The old man had led them to a vast balcony overlooking an even more vast chamber. Which made the sight all that more interesting, considering one of the combatants involved stood a good ten feet higher than their position on said balcony.

Cologne looked down to the base of the foray once more. Several familiar faces made themselves known quite quickly. The two missing Tendo sisters were visible, standing off to one side and flanked by a few unusually clad children. Two of her part time students, Robin and Starfire were also present, battling the unusual looking green giant.

"Hmm, there aren't nearly as many people here as I thought there would be," muttered the ancient pervert in disappointment. Apparently, he was hoping for a more exciting battle to watch. "I was at least hoping to see some of our more interesting students fight it out some. Unfortunately, I think the Headmaster sent my two favorites up to the surface."

She nodded. "Indeed, where Ranma and Raven were awaiting them. So, it seems that we've missed the most exciting fights," she agreed. A pity that, but better that Ranma defeated Ryouga up on the surface, rather than letting them all be buried under the destructive force of a perfect Shi Shi Houkodan.

She noticed the old man perk up slightly, his stare moving to the southern entrance. Ah, two of her infiltrators had finally joined the scene. The chef and the gymnast were being accompanied by some fool girl dressed in a Bee costume of all things.

 _Hmm_ , that was interesting, who was that girl and why was she traveling with them as if they were comrades? Cologne had never held the Kunou girl's intelligence to any reasonable standard, but she had considered the Kounji girl to be rather clever and resourceful. It seemed unlikely that she would be so easily tricked by an enemy. Perhaps a conversion then? Interesting indeed.

"Hmm, I always _knew_ that Bumble Bee had just a little too much moral fibre to fit in here. She never _once_ allowed me to steal her panties or grope her properly!" stated the old man, attempting to sound sagely. She could only shake her head in disgust.

"Happi, according to that criteria, there isn't a female on the _planet_ that would possess the lack of moral fiber required to be here," she muttered sarcastically.

The Anything Goes master waved off her comment. The three newcomers seemed to be at a loss over what to do. Certainly, there was a battle in the center of the room, however there was also a large gathering of villains situated right across the room from them as well, not currently engaging in said battle. The inaction of that small group was confusing her somewhat as well. Nabiki's lone classmate was obviously outclassed by the two, so-called Titans and yet she did not send anyone to assist him.

Her curiosity would have to wait, however, as yet another unusual sight drew her attention. Another pair of figures burst onto the scene via eastern entrance. It appeared to be the large Titan, Cyborg and he was being accompanied by-

" _Jinx_! What is she doing down _here_? And what on earth _happened_ to the poor girl?" cried Happosai to her side.

The unusual pair skidded to a stop a few feet into the room and took a second to survey the scene. Then, after sharing a brief glance, the two split up and ran in different directions. Jinx ran quickly to join Nabiki and her colleagues, while Cyborg entered the fray at the center of the room.

Happosai turned to face her, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Your students seem to be playing a little _rough,_ Cologne. I don't like seeing my student's abused like that," he stated ominously.

A hundred sarcastic and hypocritical comments passed through her mind in the flash of an eye, but she pushed them all off to the side. "Things are indeed getting serious, Happi. We should be prepared to intervene. So many children with such amazing powers and such nonexistent training, it is likely that someone could get seriously injured if things continue like this."

Her companion only nodded in stony silence before returning his attention to the battle below.

"..."

She quirked her ear slightly, had she heard something?

"...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... "

Ah, there it was, it sounded like a voice and it seemed to be getting closer.

"... aaaaaa _aaaaaaaaaa_... "

There! It was coming from the northern exit and it was so loud that it had gathered the attention of everyone in the room. Even the combatants ceased their quarrel and turned their gazes north.

_"... AAAAAHHHHHHH!"_

_"... AAAAAHHHHHHH!"_

_"... AAAAAHHHHHHH!"_

The shout resolved itself into three distinct voices for just a moment before the yelling stopped. An instant later, three familiar forms flew through the aperture at speeds that surprised even her! The three Titan's at the center of the room scrambled madly to get out of the way of the three human missiles, scattering to all directions.

A moment later and the three martial artists also split ways. Kunou arrowed himself over in the direction of Nabiki, Shampoo altered her course to bring her in line with her erstwhile companions and their bee clad friend.

Rather predictably, Mousse careened forward without a care, crashing headfirst into the massive ankle of the green skinned giant with the force of a runaway train.

How odd. While her great granddaughter was not a fool by any means, unlike her companions, she doubted that anyone could call any of _that_ trio cowards in any sense of the word. So, what on this great green planet could possibly send three such foolhardy warriors fleeing as if their very lives depend-

" ** _AAAHHHHHWWWWWWWOOOOOO!_** _"_

Oh... never mind then.

* * *

Starfire landed unsteadily from her rather panicked flight. She had been understandably surprised by the rapid appearance of the three stampeding humans. Considering the dissonance created by the human male when he collided with the Hive student's leg, it seemed like a most judicious evasion. It did seem strange though, considering the massive size of the boy's ocular implants.

The alien girl then took a moment to survey her situation. Nervously, she glanced to the group of females whose midst she had landed in. Unfortunately, she had no idea whether any of the people who now surrounded her were friend or foe. Worse yet, she had been separated from her teammates when they had all scattered in different directions.

She did not recognize any of the four females, though they were all quite distinctive. The lavender haired female, and what beautiful hair it was, was far too intent upon the aperture through which she had just traversed to be considered a threat. The remaining three females she was uncertain about. The first girl, apparently of the _Bombus_ genus of the _Apidae_ family, was quite likely a member of this very academy. The other two females, of obvious Asian descent, seemed likely to be connected to Hibiki Ryouga, but were they his cohorts, or his rescuers?

The Tamaranean hero was about to chew the ballistics cartridge and ask the hymenopterous female and her comrades to whom their allegiance was aligned, when-

_" **AAAHHHHHWWWWWWWOOOOOO!** "_

She gasped in shock; that had been as loud as a full grown Portkin! Now the attention of every being in the room was centered squarely upon the egress on the northern end of the room. The unearthly howl was soon followed by the sound of steel spikes raining down upon the metallic floor as whatever occupied that hallway approached their position at an incredible pace.

Almost against her good sense, she floated closer to the center of the chamber. The hallway through which the three humans had just entered was still brightly lit. She was very curious to see what Earth creature could make such a sound! On the periphery of her vision, she noticed her four female companions matching her movements, looks of apprehension on their features.

There! It-it was _huge_ , it nearly filled the entire corridor that it tore down with a terrifying speed. So _fast_! Only a second after she spotted the beast, it covered the entire length of the corridor and exploded into the room, unleashing another ear shattering, primal howl!

Half of the people in the room screamed in fright as the monstrous creature reared up to its full height, towering over everyone except her fellow extra-terrestrial. Its guttural roar exposed a cavernous maw filled with razor sharp teeth, its massive arms ending in spear-like claws. The huge green beast looked like nothing she had ever before seen on this planet...

Wait! Green beast?

"Friend Beast Boy?" she whispered to herself in disbelief.

Suddenly, as if it had heard her speak, the creature leapt up with startling speed, crashing to the ground only a few yards in front of herself and the girls that surrounded her. They all screamed in terror when it bared its fangs and a deep, rumbling growl emanated from its throat.

Starfire felt a hand on her arm, trying to pull her to the side. She looked to her side in abstract confusion, to see the lavender haired girl, who reminded her very much of a Chinese Amazon, trying to pull her away.

"Stupid Not-Human-Girl move _now_!" shouted the girl in some strange dialect.

It was too late though, as the beast, attracted by their movement, surged forward -

"I'll protect you, _Shampoo_!"

"You shall not harm my noble classmate, Hell Spawn!"

The twin shouts and a flash of movement drew their attention back before them. Almost out of nowhere, the pair of males that had just entered the room materialized before them, brandishing flashing steel swords and holding the creature at bay.

"Who?" she whispered to herself. Who were these selfless people that were protecting them?

The beast was only deterred for a scant moment. Again, it charged forward, its deadly claws slashing the air as it lashed out at the two boys. The long-haired male leapt impressively high, flying over the monster’s attack while the other boy rolled daringly under the attack. Then both boys drew back their weapons to counterattack-

The distinct sound of wood colliding with skull in rapid succession triggered a distant memory for Starfire.

" _Garfield Logan_! I do believe that you have terrified my Great Granddaughter quite _enough_!" cackled a dearly familiar voice, a voice which Starfire had not heard for quite some time.

Still not sure what she was seeing was real, Starfire rubbed her eyes and looked again. There, standing before her, the collapsed forms of the two boys flanking her, was Elder Cologne! And she was staring unflinchingly into the face of the emerald beast itself! The enormous monster and the ancient Elder stared at each other for a seeming eternity, until...

Until the beast suddenly shifted back into her cherished friend, Beast Boy!

"Geez, granny! Why ya gotta use my _real name_ in front of all of these people?" he whined loudly.

The Tamaranean was about to ask what in the solar system was occurring, but suddenly found herself incapacitated!

"Shampoo! Are you alright?" asked an achingly concerned voice.

She gasped loudly in shock; the long-haired boy was embracing her in a very inappropriate manner for someone whom she had never met before! She was about to explain, quite painfully, that even _she_ did possess personal boundaries. At least she was, until she looked up to face the boy...

And found herself staring into the most beautiful green eyes that she had ever seen since she had left Tamaran.

She absently noticed the purple haired girl glare at them in disgust.

"Stupid Mousse! Shampoo is over... Oh, _forget it."_

* * *

The Headmaster strode purposefully into the main security suite of his academy. It had only taken him a few moments to regain his composure after his encounter with the two master martial artists. Luckily, he had excellent self-control. His brief flight had also given him the short respite he needed to re-evaluate the situation and consider his options.

That, of course, was part of the reason that he was here now. It had been several minutes since he had been updated on the battle; he needed to know everything that was happening so that he could formulate a suitable defense. He admitted that he had been sloppy in his defense planning. He had underestimated just how reckless his enemies could be. He had never anticipated that they would bring the fight to him.

That was over now, though. Once he had reviewed the situation, he would crush those foolish children and the Titans in their cells!

He moved to the main control panel and flicked the switch to activate the monitors.

He flicked the switch again.

He toggled the switch back and forth several times.

Why weren't the monitors coming on? Starting to get annoyed once more, the Headmaster flipped several other switches, turned some dials, pressed several buttons. But nothing happened! Not even so much as an LED lighting upon the control panel.

Now somewhat more confused than angry, he hit the release switch to the side of the desk and lifted the entire control panel. The entire monitoring system... it was _empty_! It looked as if someone had come in and gutted the entire machine! All the computer systems, the hard drives, the entire system was gone except for the shell that had housed it.

What on earth had happened here?

A tiny piece of paper idly floated down from where it had been pinned to the underside of the control panel. He snapped the small note from the air and read it quickly. His eyes widened in disbelief at the message he read. His eyes then narrowed dangerously in anger, glowing a crimson red. Without a thought, he crushed the tiny note in his metal gauntlet and dropped it to the floor.

"It appears that my newest protégé and I have several _issues_ to **_discuss_** ," he uttered darkly. The aged villain then spun on his heel and stalked from the room in search of his wayward students.

On the ground behind him, the note slowly unfurled, revealing its cryptic message.

'Dear Headmaster,

I.O.U. 1 Surveillance System.

Luv Nabiki.'

* * *

Akane looked uncertainly to the hooded girl that hung on her shoulder. There had been a question that had been nagging at the back of her mind since they had first begun their slow descent into the complex to find their respective friends. Considering how badly that Raven was hurt, not to mention all the terrible stuff that had just happened, she wasn't sure it was even appropriate, but she just needed to know.

"Raven," she started off uncertainly, not sure how the Gothic girl would react.

Slowly the dark Titan turned to face her. The youngest Tendo could see the pain shining in her eyes, even partially hidden by the shadows of her hood.

"Yes, Akane?"

"You're psychic, right?" she asked pointedly.

They _had_ spent several days in the tower with the girl. Considering that Raven had been cooped up in said tower with Ranma and _all_ of his fiancée's, it had been pretty impressive that she had lasted an entire thirty minutes before she had exploded and literally ordered all of them to break it up and control their emotions before they drove her insane. After that, Raven had reluctantly agreed to explain a small amount of how her powers worked to all of them.

Raven gave her a rather bland look. "What of it?" The Titan didn't seem to be in a very talkative mood at all.

Akane swallowed nervously before she asked her next question. "Raven, you told us how you can enter your own mind to meditate. I was just wondering, do you... do you think you could do that with Ryouga? Go into his mind, I mean, go in there and, I don't know, wake him up?"

Ranma perked up noticeably. "Hey, yeah! That's a great idea, Akane! Raven, you can just pop into Ryouga's head here and kick him back into drive. That way he can help us fight these Hive guys. That, and I won't have to carry his heavy butt anymore," cheered the martial artist happily.

Raven almost glared at them both. "I can't do that," she uttered with unnerving calm.

Ranma staggered over, dragging the two boys with him. "Why not? I know you’re hurt, but this is _Ryouga's_ mind we're talking about. How much could there possibly be to fix?"

Akane rolled her eyes; he could be such a jerk sometime. Still, his initial question was valid. "Yeah, Raven. Why can't you do it?" she asked curiously.

Raven let out a long, liquid sigh. "It-it's not that I can't do it - it's that I... I _can't_ do it," she muttered. Did she sound ashamed of herself?

Ranma only grunted, obviously not understanding her answer at all. "Huh? What the heck does that mean? If you can't, can't do it, that means you _can_ do it... doesn't it?" he questioned the dark girl, apparently confusing himself.

Akane felt a little anger filling her at that. "No, Ranma, she's not saying that she can't do it, she's saying she _won't_ do it." She turned on the girl, fire in her eyes. "Why on earth won't you help him, he's your friend too, isn't he?"

She totally missed the sudden look of understanding that bloomed on her fiancé's face.

Raven met her gaze. "You don't understand, Akane. I want to help him, I really do. I just – just can't _face_ him like that. There's so much rage in him, so much hate. I don't know what would happen if I entered his mind," explained the violet eyed girl as best she could.

The Tendo girl didn't understand what Raven was going on about! She wanted to help him, but she _didn't_ want to help him? Sure, Ryouga was a bit angry, but what was the big deal? All Raven had to do was jump in and wake him up, right?

She was about to make her opinion known, when Ranma placed a hand on her shoulder. "Akane, I think I understand. You weren't there, so you didn't see what happened. Just – just _trust me_ when I say that Raven has her reasons not to go into Ryouga's mind."

She stared at him helplessly for a moment, but his stare was like an arctic glacier, cold and unyielding. Eventually, she dropped her gaze and looked away. Ranma never could lie worth a damn, and she could see it as plain as day that he wasn't now.

Raven turned to face the Anything Goes heir. "Thank you," she whispered so quietly that Akane could hardly hear the words herself.

Ranma smirked widely, looking ahead. "Heh, don't worry bout it, we don't got time to deal with P-Chan here anymore, anyway." The pigtailed boy then pointed ahead of him, to the end of the corridor. Beyond the end of the hallway, they could see a massive room filled with numrous people, both familiar and not.

"Looks like the excitement is already starting, let's go join it!"

* * *

Nabiki surveyed the chamber again, noting all the recent arrivals. She chuckled to herself, there had been a few surprises here and there, but it looked like everyone was finally here. With the arrival of Raven and Ranma, all the Titans were accounted for, as well as all the Nerima crew.

She shook her head sadly. It looked like things had gone much more seriously on the surface than down in the academy itself. She had been shocked when Jinx had stumbled in, cut, bruised, and nearly covered in blood. Nabiki had thought initially that the people up top had ganged upon the girl or something, but now after seeing the new arrivals... Ranma was bruised and bleeding nearly as much as Jinx, Raven looked even worse off, leaning heavily on her sister for support. Ryouga, Ryouga was out of it _completely_ , staring blankly into nothing.

 _Hmm_ , she certainly hoped that they would still be able to finish what she had started here. She idly looked to her watch one last time. They were only missing one more piece to make the set complete; the king, if you would.

A flash of crimson fire lit up the entire chamber. A towering inferno of wavering psychic flames rose from the center of the chamber with a roar. The flames grew until they licked the ceiling and engulfed the center of the chamber. Everyone scrambled in a mad panic to avoid the massive display of mental power.

Slowly, slowly the inferno began to shrink in upon itself once more. When it finally subsided, the flames died away to reveal the stony visage of the Headmaster. He glared hatefully at everyone that populated the chamber, his eyes glowing with dancing crimson energy. Even his most faithful students took several steps back at the display of their master's outrage.

Nabiki could only smile. She looked knowingly to the students on either side of her.

"Places everyone. It's time for the big finale!"


	22. The End – Yes, that one.

I don't own Teen Titans or Ranma.

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

* * *

He knelt at the heart of the briar patch, ignoring how easily the seemingly delicate thorns pierced his toughened hide. Nor did he take notice of the freezing rain which lashed his skin like frozen blades. Above him, the blackened sky was indiscernible from the twisted, reaching branches of the dying trees. He sat in utter darkness, his only light delivered when the lightning tore the sky asunder, mirroring the pangs of agony that lanced through his soul. The only sounds he heard were the crashes of thunder shaking the heavens in time with his cries.

Ryouga Hibiki could not recall how he came to be lost in such an abyssal place, nor could he bring himself to care. All the physical torment he suffered, it all felt so – so pale, so distant. But that was the norm for him... wasn't it? All his training, his battles, and his travels. How long had it been since he had simply stopped caring about physical pain? How long had it been since anything short of a life and death battle had even caused him pain at all?

He raised a hand before his face, watching the tiny thorns biting into his skin at the merest touch. How odd it seemed, to feel pain from something as trivial as a thorn, even the phantom of pain that he was feeling.

It all seemed so insignificant to him, like none of it mattered. How could it? How could the pricking of his thumb possibly compare to the shattering of his heart? Names came to his mind unbidden, not just unbidden, unwanted, an anathema to his lacerated soul. Names that meant more to him than anything else, names which had changed the course of his life with their merest utterance.

Names which he wished, with all of that remained of his heart, that he could forget.

Akane...

Akari...

Raven...

Jinx...

A primal cry erupted from his chest, accompanied by a matching outburst from the heavens. The sky split open with light and the earth shook as he unleashed his pain on the world around him. Slowly, he curled back in on himself, the pain in his chest growing with each breath.

How could one heart hold so much pain? It seemed somehow unfair, that a heart as fragile and unused as his own should house so many burdens. His pain was well deserved though, wasn't it? He had betrayed them all, hurt them all. He laughed in disgust, who was _he_ to name Ranma an enemy to women?

Akane, Akari, Raven... they had all offered him their friendship, even their love in some cases. And how had he repaid them? Deceived, abandoned, betrayed, he'd taken the kindness they had offered him and fashioned it into a weapon with which he’d cruelly cut them all.

And Jinx! The one woman to whom he owed nothing, the one that had destroyed his life, had deceived him, enslaved him, turned him against his closest friends...

The woman that had stolen his heart.

The woman whose heart he had broken in return...

Gods... it hurt _so much_. Anger and agony burned though his soul, smashing his glass heart to jagged shards, and grinding those shards to dust. He wished... he wished all the pain would just go away. If only he could be like Raven and just will his emotions away. If only...

If only he didn't feel anything at all...

His tears were lost to the tempest that surrounded him, as he cried silently in the darkness. There had to be an answer. Some solution to the disaster that was his life. His crimes were beyond forgiveness, it was as if his whole lot in life was to make any female that befriended him suffer.

He had lied to Akane, betrayed her trust, taken advantage of her; there could be no forgiveness for that. He had beaten Starfire, brutally attacked her, nearly maimed her. She had shared something so special with him, and what had he given her in return? Jinx... he had returned her love; but it had only caused her pain. He had seen it in her eyes, just before she fled, the agony she was feeling. _Damn him_! Even when everything had felt so right, it _still_ ended in pain.

And what he did to Raven... The image of her broken body flashed through his mind. No, there was no hell that _existed_ to fit the scope of his crime. Raven, that darkly beautiful heroine, she had come to save him, to save all her friends. She did so selflessly, with no concern for herself, and he had tried to kill her.

A horrifying thought sprang to mind. What if he _had_? Maybe she had survived his attack... but for how long?

With that grim possibility now lodged in his head, like a bone in a choking man's throat, a new line of thought filtered through his tormented mind. Yes, it made so much sense. His crimes were beyond redemption, his sins beyond forgiveness. There was only one way to escape the situation with even a tattered shadow of his honor remaining.

A grim smile stretched the skin upon his face, though it did not reach his eyes.

A strange sensation overcame his body. As if the simple act of making his decision soothed his twisting soul. An aching, empty numbness flowed through his limbs. He watched with fascinated antipathy as the thorns continued to cut him, but he felt nothing aside from cold apathy. Above him, the sky stilled, the winds calmed, and the rain ceased. He was cast into a darkness blacker than pitch as the lightning ceased.

And yet he found that he could still see.

The darkness was not as complete as he had initially thought. In the distance, a new light beckoned to him. He hadn't seen it earlier, the lightning and thunder had hidden it from him; but now it seemed so obvious, like a beacon. Finding new resolve in his conclusion, he rose to his feet, not caring for the vegetation that tore at his clothing.

All the pain drained from his soul as he moved with determined slowness to the source of that strange light. The journey seemed to take forever, and at the same time, it took no time at all. As he walked, the forest thinned, eventually fading to nothing. Not even the grass remained after a time, as if he were walking upon the darkness itself. For some reason though, it did not strike him as being strange.

All too soon, he came to the end of his journey. He stood in the ocean of blackness, examining what had brought him all this way. Hanging in the air before him, spinning on a wild axis, was an azure nimbus of light. He stared in awe as it spun and danced; he could almost hear it singing. Its voice rang so familiar, though, he could swear that he’d never heard it before.

He – he had no idea what it was, what it was doing out in the wilderness. But he knew what it felt like.

It felt like _nothing_...

* * *

The Headmaster smiled in grim satisfaction as he watched his enemies flee from the awesome display of his wrath. His eyes slid across all present, taking in every nuance, committing every detail to memory; silently enjoying the fear that his fiery gaze found in the eyes of his students. Every face present had a name, every person evoked a list of capabilities and weaknesses that he had long since researched and analyzed.

There were three distinct groups present and accounted for. The first was composed of his own students, scattered around the room. Nabiki, Gizmo, Mammoth, Billy, Jinx, Kasumi, and Kyd Wykkyd all stood together in one corner of the chamber, but he would get back to his traitorous student and deal with her soon enough. Instigator was laid out against a wall, unconscious. XL Terrestrial was wandering aimlessly by the far end of the room, trying not to gain the attention of the many heroes that surrounded him. Bumble Bee was, for some reason, surrounded by several the martial artists from Ryouga's report.

Speaking of said martial artists, he repeated the name of every person that Ryouga had mentioned in his report. His prize pupil was completely unconscious, held aloft by the two boys he knew as Ranma and Konatsu; they were flanked by the youngest Tendo, Akane. Also, in the room: Ukyou, Kodachi, Shampoo, Cologne, Tatewaki and Mousse, all clustered close together. His smile slipped slightly. All three of his fighters from Nerima had failed him. Ryouga was beaten and his two companions had obviously broken his tenuous control when they had been reunited with their friends. He also noticed Happosai watching from the bleachers in amusement.

The last group, which puzzled and angered him the most, were the Titans. How had they escaped their prisons? They were scattered across the room as well, Starfire in the center of the clustered martial artists, Beast Boy close by. Raven was being supported by the young Tendo girl next to Ryouga. Robin and Cyborg were at a distance on either side of himself.

He let out an ominous chuckle as he finally finished observing the vast forces arrayed against him. He could see fear, anger, hatred, and righteousness in the eyes of those that surrounded him, and it amused him greatly. Indeed, with the betrayal of his own students, it appeared that he was severely outnumbered, a veritable army of powerful individuals, all intent on his defeat.

His low chuckle grew into mocking laughter as he watched his opponents hesitate in confusion. The time for lessons was over, and so too ended his tenure as the Headmaster. No more games, now only vengeance and punishment remained, and that was a role was far more suited... to Brother Blood.

"My, my, this is _quite_ a force you have managed to bring to bear against me, young Raven." He turned to face the injured Titan, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, an army of wounded and beaten pups, of ancient and dying crones, an army of second-rate warriors not even worthy of my interest."

His smile only widened as he watched Cologne and the female martial artists bristle at his insults. He continued, his biting sarcasm only increasing as he turned to face Nabiki. "What need do I have to worry? Surely, my _loyal_ students will leap into battle against these intruders. Isn't that correct, Miss Tendo?" he asked, staring directly into her eyes.

He watched proudly as a wicked smirk spread across her features. So much _potential_ in that one! It was almost a shame that she was going to seal her own doom with her next sentence.

"Actually, Headmaster, I'm afraid that the dropout rate for your illustrious academy has just skyrocketed… to _one hundred_ percent," she stated with a smile, "As I'm certain you've already guessed by this point, my friends and I have decided to strike out on our own."

He could only shake his head in amusement at the girl's bravado. All around them, heroes and villains alike watched anxiously to see how this would resolve. Unfortunately for his favorite student, he was tired of playing these childish games.

"Tsk, tsk, Nabiki, as amusing as this _coup_ of yours is, I'm afraid I simply don't have time to deal with your petulance right now." He glared at her harshly before turning his gaze upon the rest of the students huddled behind the foolish girl. "Now, students, attack the intruders," he ordered quietly, his voice seething.

He could feel his temper begin to build again, as the young villains in training simply stood there, gazing at each other uncertainly, but defiantly not obeying his order. It was Nabiki's turn to shake her head in amusement as she rolled her eyes.

"Mr. Headmaster, sir, I don't think you're quite grasping the concept here. We are _betraying_ you. We're not going to be fighting your battles for you anymore, old man." The stunning brunette then crossed her arms across her chest, smirking smugly.

Her superior smile faltered somewhat, as his own face descended into a truly villainous smile, one which oozed with malevolence. This girl, she was good, but she had obviously forgotten who she was dealing with.

Ominously, his eyes lit with crimson energy as he brought his fearsome will to bear.

"Oh, but you will, Nabiki. Oh, but _you will_."

* * *

Jinx slid further away from her fellow classmates, slowly creeping along the wall she was using to support herself.

For the past several moments, she had done nothing but stare at the catatonic form of the boy she loved, strung up between Ranma and some girl. The moment that she had seen the group stagger into the chamber, her heart had nearly jumped up into her throat. At first it had been unrealistic hope, hope that Ryouga might speak to her, even if only to yell. But that hope had died cruelly when she saw that he wasn't even conscious. _Damn it_! Nothing had been able to tear her gaze away from the Lost Boy.

At least until the Headmaster turned his attention in their direction. What was Nabiki doing? _Goading_ the Headmaster? _Denying_ his will? Outright _betraying_ him? Had the girl gone mad? Didn't she know what the Headmaster was capable of? The injured witch took the opportunity to move further away from the group that dared to defy the Headmaster.

Then the conversation was over, the Headmaster's eyes began to glow with an unearthly light as he used his powers to bend the minds of her fellow classmates back under his control. Jinx let out a resigned sigh as she watched Nabiki, Mammoth, Gizmo, Billy, and Kyd Wykkyd all double over and clutch their skulls in agony as the old man crushed their wills.

Nabiki's cry was particularly piercing as she valiantly fought to resist the aged villain's power.

She had to look away. She couldn't bear the sight of her friends being enslaved right before her eyes. Damn it! Why hadn't Nabiki _told_ her that she was planning to break away from the Headmaster? Jinx wasn't sure how, but she would have done everything she could have to help.

Another plaintiff wail made her squeeze her eyes shut in shame. The Headmaster didn't suspect her, considering her obvious injuries and the fact that she had fought the intruders so fiercely. What reason did he have to suspect her? He wasn't even trying to control her yet. One hex... that's all it would take. After that, the fight would be over in seconds. All she had to do was raise... her... hand?

Her head whipped back to Nabiki, as the girls pained cries transformed into hysterical laughter. She turned just in time to see Nabiki and the four villains surrounding her stand straight; all five of them laughing long and loud at some unknown joke. Jinx's stare of disbelief was mirrored by the Headmaster's own disbelieving expression.

Eventually, Nabiki finished laughing, absently wiping a tear from her eye. "Heh, oh man. I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist, I've wanted to do that for _weeks_ now. You should _see_ the look on your face, Headmaster," she snickered quietly, supremely happy with herself.

The pink haired witch had to slap her hands over her mouth to stop from bursting out in laughter. A sudden thought struck her...

If she knew her stock villain dialogue as well as she thought she did, she was fairly sure the Headmaster's next line would be-

* * *

" _How_ **?** How is it possible for all of you to resist my mental powers?" cried the Headmaster in disbelief.

Nabiki smiled widely. And Akane thought _she_ was the only actress in the family! _Damn.,_ that had been fun. Finally, finally she could start with the gloating-

She looked over in confusion at Jinx, who had just snapped her fingers and muttered " _So close_.” but disregarded it as unimportant. Ahem, where had she been?

Ah yes! The gloating!

"How indeed, my dear Headmaster." She raised a delicate finger to her cheek and leaned back comfortably as she settled into her gloating stance. "You shouldn't seem so surprised; after all, anything is possible with a little foresight, the proper resources and a little technical know-how." She punctuated her last words by patting a preening Gizmo on the head.

The Headmaster still looked shocked. "But I had already brought those students firmly under my control! How did you break my hold on them?" He pointed angrily at the four boys surrounding her.

Absently she lifted her wrist and waved it back and forth. The watch like device that covered her wrist was hard to miss. "The marvels of modern science never cease to amaze, really. Take for instance, this _trendy_ device that I happen to be wearing. Why, only months ago, it had only existed as a theoretical design gathering dust in some vault locked away within the heart of S.T.A.R. Labs," she explained gleefully. She relished the look of understanding that dawned upon her teacher’s face.

"Of course, a little forethought, some very informative digging into any research concerning psychic abilities, the proper application of my classmates unique skills to liberate it, and one techno genius to complete it; all brought together under the guise of a simple distract and capture mission for our dear friend, Robin, and what is the end result?" The middle Tendo could barely hold contain her glee as she watched all her enemies boggle at her genius. Well, everyone but the people from Nerima anyway, none of them seemed overly surprised by her elaborate plan of betrayal.

She quickly bowed and displayed the watch dramatically once more. "I present to you the world's first (non Lexcorp) Psionic Shielding device; patents pending, and all rights reserved." Her good mood only increased as her classmates clapped politely for her.

The Headmaster finally regained his bearings. He straightened once more and smiled with... hey, was that _grudging respect_? Well alright!

"So, what now, Nabiki? Do you now join forces with your future enemies to bring me to justice? Do you really think they will let you go free once I am defeated?" he asked confidently.

Her smile didn't lessen for a second. She already knew the answer to this question.

"Of course not, Headmaster. The only reason I brought all of these people together like this, was so that you could all destroy each other while we escaped to safety," she began, "I knew you would never let us leave peaceably, nor would the Titans let us escape if we helped them. I also knew that as long as you had Ryouga, Mousse and Kunou under your thrall, the Titans would have no chance to beat you on their own."

She pointed to her watch once more. "Unfortunately, these things only protect from active psionic attacks, they wouldn't have been able to undo the alterations you made to their memories to control them; so, I needed to bring in some extra muscle. It was painfully easy to get Ranma and everyone else to rush over here, loaded for bear. After that, things practically fell into place themselves, leading us to this point."

The mercenary queen took a moment to let her gaze slip across everyone in the room. "And so here we are. A host of Titans, and a bevy of martial artists, all chomping at the bit to take you down; leaving me and my newly formed team, _The Hive Five_ , to make our escape while you all fight it out amongst yourselves," she finally finished. Strange, she felt _extremely_ satisfied right there, she almost wished she smoked so she could have pulled out a cigarette right then and there.

The Headmaster considered her statement for a moment, his grudging smile only widening, then-

-he was cut off rudely by Ranma.

"Hive Five? But Nabiki, there are _seven_ of you!" he yelled from across the room. He then waved his arm, gesturing at her and all her fellow students. Throughout the chamber, people began nodding in confused agreement. She growled to herself. He was ruining her dramatic moment!

"There are only _five_ of us! Jinx and Kasumi aren't members!" she yelled out in frustration.

"What? _Hey_!"

"Oh my." Came a pair of startled outbursts.

She rolled her eyes and looked over to the pair of females. "Look, no offence you two. I've put a lot of thought into this and I have my reasons." One of said reasons being that Hive Five sounded better than any of the alternatives!

" ** _Enough_**!" The Headmaster's shout brought silence to the room.

Her mentor clapped his hands, slowly and mockingly. " _Excellent_ work Nabiki, simply _marvelous_. I have never been so impressed by one of my students. Your analysis of the situation, your grasp of the capabilities of both your friends and your enemies, your foresight and ingenuity; this is easily one of the most well thought out betrayals I've been involved in."

She was starting to feel a little nervous about the amount of praise he was showering on her. "And manipulating your enemies into battling one another? Now _that_ is a time-honored tradition of villainy! I appreciate your ability to mix innovative ideas with classic techniques."

"Well, I'm glad you liked it so mu-"

" _However_! You made one fatal mistake," he interrupted her, dropping into a lecturing voice. "You could have made your escape at any time since the attack started. Instead, you stayed here, just so you could gloat about your impending victory. That was a rookie mistake, Nabiki, and one that I'm afraid that you likely won't survive," he explained malevolently.

"Feh, you don't frighten me, Headmaster. I can leave anytime that I want to, and you don't dare attack me." She gestured meaningfully to the large group of would be heroes that surrounded them. "They've all been behaving themselves so far, likely too confused to act. However, the second you move to attack, they'll be on you in that same second. I _know_ you, Headmaster, I know you could probably kill me in an instant, but I also know that you're far too worried about your _own_ skin to leave yourself open like that to so many attackers."

Unconsciously she slid a bit closer to Kyd Wykkyd.

The aged villain let out a mocking laugh. "Is that so, Nabiki? Do you _truly_ know me so well? It's true that you are a brilliant young woman, you may know my physical abilities quite well; but when it comes to villainy, you are still a rank amateur. You may think that you've calculated every possible scenario, however it is time that I give you one last lesson: a lesson of what it means to truly be a _villain,_ Miss Tendo. This, my prized pupil, is where you lose, for, unlike any opponent you and your friends have ever faced, _I_ can do something that you could never possibly calculate for," he trailed off malevolently.

The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end at the sinister look in the Headmaster's eyes. "W-what can _you_ possibly do that I wouldn't have thought of?" she asked, cursing herself for stuttering, even for a second.

He continued to glare at her, smiling that twisted smile-

Then vanished in a flash of red light!

The entire chamber gasped in shock at the disappearance. She spun wildly, trying to find where the old man had gone.

A second flash of light drew her attention and she spun quickly to see it. The sight that greeted her froze her blood and she nearly felt her heart stop mid beat. The Headmaster had reappeared... right behind _Kasumi_ , a glowing red hand clasped around her delicate throat!

The old man leaned forward, his cheek just brushing her older sister's ear as he continued to smile that wicked smile.

"I can _kill_ your precious sister."

* * *

For perhaps the first time in her life, Kasumi was completely frozen with fear. She could feel the Headmaster's claws hovering just over her neck, an uncomfortable energy trying desperately to consume her delicate skin with its hateful heat. The worst part was that she _knew_ he would do it; he would kill her without hesitation if he felt the need. It was all she could do to keep her neck as still as possible, even as her hands trembled like leaves.

"You see, Nabiki, there is a fine line between a simple criminal and a true villain. It is a line that I do not think you are capable of even understanding at this time, and it is a line which I crossed long, _long_ ago." The refined voice flowed past her ear, the warmth of the man's breath setting her skin to crawling.

The eldest Tendo could only watch the reactions of the people that surrounded her. Right before her, Nabiki stood, true fear showing on her face for the first time that Kasumi could remember. She could scarcely remember the last time that she hadn't seen her dear little sister in control of a situation. Further away, Akane wore a matching expression, too shocked to even get angry. All around the room, her family, and friends, both old and new, dropped into stances that suggested violence only barely restrained, but no one, hero, martial artist, or villain, dared to move against her captor.

"You are indeed a brilliant young woman, perhaps _too_ brilliant for your own good. You considered this to be a game, a challenge; you spent so much time scheming and plotting in your own manipulative way, that you forgot the brutal and violent nature of our chosen profession. Yes, you've broken my mental dominion over your fellow students, but... there are _so very many_ ways to manipulate people." The Headmaster then emphasized his point, as Kasumi felt the heat around her neck intensify painfully. Against her will, she let out a tiny gasp of pain from the brief contact.

The sound rallied everyone in the room. Mammoth growled in rage and it all his companions could do to stop him from charging. Such a _sweet_ boy, she would certainly miss him after all of this was done. She had faith that things would work out though. She wasn't certain how, but she knew that her sisters would never let anything happen to her...

...right?

Ranma and Akane dashed forward some, both of their faces clouded with fear and anger, but they stopped instantly when the Headmaster elicited another squeal of pain from her injured throat.

"I hope you're taking notes, Nabiki, I wouldn't want you to miss such a valuable lesson in true villainy." Kasumi couldn't see the man behind her, but she could feel him stand straighter, as if he were preparing to address the entire chamber. His hand never wavered a hair from her neck, though.

"I admit that this situation is a bit _troubling_ for me, however, even though I may lose some students in the long run, I believe there is still one last victory I can salvage here. This all began with my desire to destroy the Titans, and that is where it shall end," declared the Headmaster from behind her. She could see everyone in the room tense up, one by one, as it appeared the Headmaster gazed at them all from behind her back. "Nabiki, you and your fellow students _will_ obey this order. Akane and Mr. Saotome, I suggest that unless you wish to see dear, sweet Kasumi _die_... that you and your small harem assist them." She could practically feel the vile smile of the man behind her.

The looks of indecision and confusion that engulfed the faces of her sisters and friends nearly broke her heart. She could hear curses of frustration and helplessness from every corner of the chamber as everyone came to grips with just how serious the situation had become. Slowly, the five Titans began to move away from everyone, nervous expressions blooming as they watched every villain and martial artist in the room turn to regard them with conflicted eyes.

At the one side of the room, Raven painstaking backed herself against the wall. Before her, Ranma gently lowered Ryouga to the ground as he turned to face her, swearing loudly to himself. Akane by his side, nearly in tears. Not far off, Konatsu merely watched in morbid fascination.

Near the center of the room, Beast Boy and Starfire quickly spun so that they were back to back. Surrounding them was a veritable army of martial artists, Tatewaki, Mousse, Ukyou, Shampoo, Kodachi and Cologne. Even Bumble Bee turned to regard the Titans, a look of sad resignation in her eyes and a whispered apology on her lips.

Jinx shared a sad look with Cyborg, as her, Gizmo and Mammoth all moved to intercept the unfortunate boy. Robin pulled out a tiny cylinder which quickly expanded into a long Bo staff, as he was surrounded by her classmates, Kyd Wykkyd, Billy, and XL.

Kasumi could feel tears forming in her eyes. The sight before her was too terrible for words. She was in the unique position where she had befriended nearly every single person in this room; the only person that she had never had a chance to get to know was the unfortunate Titan, Raven. She – she couldn't _bear_ the idea of her friends and family fighting each other; even worse, of her precious sister, Akane, being forced to do something so – so _terrible_!

"I-I'm sorry, Raven... I _really_ don't want do this... but what _choice_ do I have?" She could hear Akane's pained voice from across the room. All Raven could do was nod in weak understanding.

The tension in her chest became painful as she watched her loved ones close in around the Titans, preparing themselves to do what they felt needed to be done. All around the chamber, energies began to flare, pink, green, golden, black. She wanted to close her eyes, to squeeze them shut and block out the violence only moments away, but she just couldn't. In a matter of seconds, this room would be thrust into a brutal battle.

And it was all because of _her_!

She looked around the room one last time, trying to memorize the faces of everyone present before the fight began. Every single person in the room was utterly intent on their opponents, every set of eyes locked firmly on their unfortunate quarry.

Every set except _one_... Happosai stared down at her, his gaze piercing her with steely determination. She didn't know how, but she could sense it; he was just waiting for an opening, _any_ opening at all. But she had come to know the Headmaster as well. His concentration was complete, there was no way that he would leave an opening now, even as he watched the upcoming battle, his breathing heavy with anticipation.

...a strange thought bubbled up from the back of her mind.

As carefully as she could, she took a deep, cleansing breath and cleared her mind of everything. This fear that was gripping her heart, it wasn't productive, not _at all_! After all, she was Kasumi, wasn't she? Everyone always told her what a tranquil and serene young woman she was. She was used to riding the wave of chaos that Ranma had brought with him and still maintaining her calm and positive attitude. Surely, she could clear her mind of any pesky thoughts, even in a situation as... _sticky_ as this one. All she had to do was keep her mind empty until the last... possible... second.

Serenely as a mountain lake, she turned her head as much as her captor's gloved hand would allow. It was just enough, allowing her to look the old man in the eye and grace him with a beatific smile. For just a moment, a tiny moment indeed, she caught his gaze and he looked at her in confusion. Using every shred of will power she possessed to keep her mind blank, she just smiled wider and-

"Mr. Headmaster," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "You really are a _bastard_."

The look on his face was _priceless_ ; she couldn't have imagined a greater impact had she dropped a bombshell on the poor man. She allowed herself a tiny smile of satisfaction; it appeared that all her training in the villainous arts had _finally_ paid off. And just like that, she had her opening.

Her movement was so fast that the Headmaster had only the time to gasp in shock before it was too late. Her hands flew up, faster than she had ever moved, and wrapped around the Headmaster's cruelly glowing hand. She stifled her scream of pain as best as her skin boiled at the contact, but she refused to let go. With every ounce of strength she had, she twisted his hand down and away from her vulnerable neck.

At the same time, she brought her right foot up behind her with as much force as she could muster. Her heel collided with _something_ harshly. Instantly, all the strength flowed out of her captor's body. She wasn't sure _where_ she hit him, but judging by his shocking words, she had a good idea.

Her cheeks reddened faintly at the rude words that her former teacher had just squeaked into her ear, there was only one thing that she could think to say after that.

" _Oh my_!"

* * *

" _Oh my_!"

Jinx spun around just in time to see Kasumi twist the Headmaster's arm down and away from her neck. She then swung to the side and continued to twist his arm with enough force that she flipped the old man head over heels to crash onto his back. The entire chamber dropped to dead silence; a pin fall would have been deafening at that moment. The graceful brunette then looked down at her shell-shocked victim and _almost_ frowned.

"You know, Mr. Headmaster, I'm starting to doubt that you are an accredited teacher _at all_ ," she scolded him heavily.

The eldest Tendo then stepped politely around the fallen man and ran to hide behind Ranma and her sister, Akane.

For an endless moment, everyone was completely paralyzed with shock. No one could move, no one could even speak; the unbelieving looks of every hero, villain, and martial artist was glued on the blushing Kasumi. The only sound now, were the pained groans of the Headmaster as he rolled on the ground. Jinx had no idea what to think, the event that she had just witnessed had completely blown her mind. She didn't know whether she should laugh or cry after watching the nicest girl she had ever met, just _lay out_ one of the most dangerous men on the planet!

" _RAAAUUUUUGGGGHH_!"

Then the moment was shattered, the Headmaster rose from the ground like the flames of hell; he was a towering inferno of rage and hate, psychic energy pouring off the man. Ranma and Akane both took defensive stances, nervous looks on their faces as the Headmaster prepared to launch himself in their direction in unthinking anger.

She couldn't let Ryouga's friends get hurt! Pink energy gathered around her delicate fingers as she prepared to blast the old villain in mid charge-

A blur of motion disrupted her concentration, a streak of blue, brown, and grey flew down from the balcony and crashed into the Headmaster with the sound of a thunderclap. The force of the impact sent the villainous mastermind pin wheeling through the air, at least until an unyielding steel wall stopped his flight in a most painful manner.

She was about to start clapping for the ancient pervert, proudly standing in the center of the room now, when-

"Kyd Wykkyd, _now_! Hive Five, we're _leaving_!" came Nabiki's demanding cry.

Jinx spun to see Kyd Wykkyd swing open his cape in a grand fashion, a massive, black-rimmed portal opening beneath the folds of his cloak. Beyond the event horizon of the gateway, she could see another large room, this one dark and in disarray. Inside the room, a dozen robotic drones were quickly moving large stacks of equipment while dozens of Billy clones seemed to be repairing the, likely until very recently, abandoned lair. H-had Nabiki already set up _another_ base of operations before she had even _begun_ this coup?

Across the room, Robin shouted in their direction. "Nabiki! Just this once, you're the lesser of two evils! But now we're even, and the next time we meet, we _will_ take you down!" he yelled out.

What was he talking about? Even? Letting them go? This situation wasn't making any sense.

Nabiki just laughed gleefully. "Ha! You _wish,_ Robbie-poo! And as for your debt, you couldn't stop us from leaving if you _wanted_ , right now. Don't worry, I'll remember your debt though, and I _always_ collect," she replied smugly.

Apparently, Robin and his buddies weren't happy with that bargain, and charged forward to prove Nabiki wrong.

If the young mercenary was nervous about that, it didn't show. She just turned calmly and walked up to Kyd Wykkyd's portal, ushering her other classmates through before her. Just before vanishing though, the dishy brunette turned back, one last time.

"Kasumi, Akane! Tell Daddy that I'm _sorry_ , and that I'll _miss_ you all! And Ranma! If you don't take care of my sister, there won't be a hole deep enough in the _world_ for you to hide from me, now!" Nabiki then turned to her and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Well Jinx? You need a lift outta here?"

The pink eyed sorceress boggled at that for half a second. "What? I thought I _wasn't in_ your club?" she asked, bewildered. Nabiki only shrugged.

"Maybe, but you're definitely not with them, either." She pointed to the charging Titans over her shoulder disinterestedly. "I figure the least I could do is give you a place to lie low for a bit. Hurry up, though, it's a onetime offer and ends when those heroes get over here." The world's newest criminal mastermind then turned and walked through the portal, never even looking back.

Jinx had to think about her offer for all of three-quarters of a second. With Cyborg closing in the fastest, only thirty feet away, she quickly dove forward towards Kyd Wykkyd and moved to step through the portal. One last thought stopped her, one step away from her complete freedom. The darkly clad teleporter looked down at her, a nervous expression starting to show on his usually expressionless face as the Titans closed in. Quickly she spun around and took as deep a breath as she could.

" _RYOUGA_!"

She yelled for all she was worth, pouring all her soul into that one desperate cry. It was enough to bring Cyborg skidding to a stop, an understanding look blooming on his face. She breathed in again.

"I know you can't hear me!" The sight of the collapsed boy that she loved with all her villainous heart... the sight of his unblinking eyes nearly brought tears to hers. "But I just wanted to tell you; I would _forgive you_! I would forgive you _anything_!"

She couldn't bear to look into his empty eyes for another second, if it weren't for the rise and fall of his chest that she had come to know so intimately, she wouldn't even believe him to be alive. As she turned back, one final time, she caught Cyborg's nod of approval. Then she dove through her classmate’s cloak and into Nabiki's new lair.

As soon as she was through the portal, she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands. That was it; she had _abandoned_ him. Left him and his friends at the mercy of the Headmaster. It didn't matter if their victory seemed assured. Rather than stay and protect Ryouga with her life, she had feared for her own freedom and fled. How could she say she genuinely loved him, if she placed her own life higher than his?

Behind her, she heard the nearly soundless whisper of the portal shrinking, and with the final swish of the portal closing ...

Her heart died.

* * *

"Gizmo! Are those spy cams you planted ready to activate?" Nabiki ordered excitedly.

Gizmo activated his jet back and flew over to the sleek monitoring suite that he had developed for the obstacle course race so many days ago. A press of a button and once again it unfolded, revealing several screens and readouts. The diminutive genius looked over the device for a moment before turning back to her.

"You bet, boss. Two on the inside and four on the outside just in case the Headmaster makes a break for it." With that, he hit another button and six of the screens flashed to life. Four of the screens revealed aerial views of the church in its entirety. The other two, the important cameras, they presented an interesting scene about to unfold within the large chamber they had just left.

Idly she told Gizmo to focus a camera to the far side of the chamber.

Where a furious Headmaster was just regaining his feet.

* * *

The Headmaster rose once more, seething with anger and humiliation. Not from Happosai's traitorous attack. No, his shame ran much deeper than that. To be assaulted by _Kasumi_? To be lain low by a slip of a girl that was little more than a glorified housewife? His blood was boiling in an ocean of hatred; words could not even begin to describe the outrage he felt at his lapse in judgment.

He rubbed a sore shoulder from where he had struck the wall. Luckily, he had been able to shield himself from the worst of the old pervert's attack, so he wasn't too badly hurt. His situation was grim though, Nabiki and his former students had used Kasumi's distraction to make their escape. That left the aged villain facing a determined team of superheroes intent on his capture, and an outraged throng of martial artists, _much more_ intent on his demise.

_Damnit_! All his planning, all his _work_! He had spent considerable effort stealing this facility from its previous owner! Months bringing the class beneath his thrall, further months training them! So much time, all _wasted_ by Nabiki's betrayal!

_No_. The blame went further back than that. Everything that had destroyed his beloved academy, it all could be traced back to one single individual. Slowly, his hateful gaze slid over to the person in question.

_Him_! Everything led back to that _boy_! He had defeated Jinx and foiled their mission to acquire the spring water. He had given the Titan's access to unheard of training, letting the heroes surpass his students completely. That boy had suggested that they acquire new students from Nerima, and it was now his friends that were ultimately the key to his downfall this day.

"Surrender, Headmaster! You're completely surrounded, there's no way that you can beat all of us!" ordered a confident Robin. The cocky bird spun his Bo staff threateningly as he closed in, flanking him were Ranma and Bumble Bee, looks that promised violence on their faces.

He couldn't even bring himself to smile mockingly at the boy's threat, only his revenge mattered, now. None of these foolish children, or their ancient chaperones mattered; they were beneath his notice now.

"Silence, foolish boy! I have business to attend to, so why don't you and your friends kindly _die_!" Did these fools really believe they had him beaten, here, in the _heart_ of his power? A flash of power sent the advancing warriors back a step, though that was not his intent.

Suddenly the entire room shuddered violently. The gathered fighters all stared in confusion, when suddenly massive steel blast doors slid down to cover all the entrances and seal off the balcony.

"Obstacle Course Set to Omega level, All Safety Protocols Deactivated!" a disembodied and synthetic sounding voice rang through the room. All his enemies had just enough time to stare in shock before the entire room surged to life around them.

The Headmaster laughed maniacally as an army of robots rose from the floor, entire banks of lasers and launchers extended from the walls, countless hexagons rose into towers wielding lashing tentacles, cutting saw blades and yet more lasers.

The entire world froze for just a moment. He took that instant to drink in the looks of shock and panic on the faces of everyone that dared to stand against him. It – it was just too _beautiful_ to describe. It was moments like this that reminded him why he was a villain.

And then the world was cast into Armageddon. Titans and martial artists, young and old alike, all were sent scrambling as the entire room roared to life; it's only intent to lay waste to every single one of them. Instantly the smell of ozone filled his nostrils as hundreds of lasers burned to life and dozens of metallic tentacles crackled with manmade lightning. The high-pitched whine of razor-sharp saws cutting through the air, the explosive whoosh of rockets flying and the heavy clanks of combat drones marking about, it sang like a symphony to him.

He smiled widely and walked calmly through the conflagration that surrounded him. Absently he walked past Beast Boy, too busy with a combat drone trying to crush him to paste, to act. Idly he ducked under the dangling feet of Mousse, caught in the constrictive coils of a metal tendril. He laughed in amusement as Ranma desperately tried to dodge three banks of lasers while carrying a crippled Raven in his arms.

Soon enough, he found himself standing over the collapsed form of Ryouga Hibiki. He looked down at the boy, anger burning in his eyes. He could end the boy right there, like putting down a sick pet. Somewhat appropriate, but just not satisfying. No, he needed a more substantial revenge than that, and a much more fitting environment as well.

With that in mind, he knelt and placed a finger on Ryouga's chest...

He chuckled loudly, taking one last look at the battle that raged around him. Perhaps one last parting gift for his dear friends here as well. He let loose another wave of his power. With one last vindictive smile, he vanished with Ryouga in a flash of crimson energy, right before the voice of the computer rang through the room once again.

"Self Destruct Sequence Activated! This Facility Will Self Destruct in Five Minutes!"

It was a pity he left early though, since he missed Robin's fully accurate assessment of the situation.

"Aw _hell_..."

* * *

Kunou tore his sword from the sparking torso of the combat drone just in time to deflect a volley of laser fire that would have relieved him of his head. He followed the parry by spinning fast and low, sliding just beneath a swinging saw blade, only to spring up into a frantic back flip over a whipping tentacle arcing with electricity. The sound of the hem of his pants bursting into flames informed him that his dodge had been somewhat lackluster.

Without even thinking, he swung his blade down, dousing the tiny fire with the air pressure of his slash. This was good, since had he taken the time to think, he would have been swarmed by the four drones that descended upon him like locusts. The blade which Mousse had given him transformed into a flashing blur of silver as he ducked and weaved between the robots, while also trying to stay mindful of the lasers and other pitfalls this room contained.

An overhead block flowed into a horizontal rotating slash which disemboweled two of the drones. The momentum carried him into a long sidestep as a beam of coherent light blazed into the space which he had just occupied. A rocket careening wildly through the air turned his graceful sidestep into a desperate limbo contest, as he bent completely backwards to avoid the missile which would have impacted him directly in the face.

Rather than try to regain his feet, he just continued into a back roll which carried him several feet further from the lashing limbs of the two drones that still pursued him. As soon as his sandals touched the floor once more, he launched himself forward, his blade trailing to his side, gripped tightly in both hands for a rising diagonal slash.

With a mighty war cry, he let loose upon the nearest automaton, his deadly attack splitting the machine so precisely that there was no sign of the cut until the robot actually began to slide apart, its torso slowly abandoning its legs. He let a small smile of pride slide onto his face, truly that had been a most excellent attack-

Suddenly the master swordsman was entreated to a much closer look at his handiwork, as the missile which he had just dodged seconds ago, had circled around and come to explode only a scant few feet directly behind him. He held in the cry of pain caused by the concussive force and metallic pieces of shrapnel that impacted upon his back, rather he took that brief second to cross his arms before his face. A moment later, he smashed through the robot that he had just sundered in twain.

As metal plates and circuitry grudgingly parted before him, he could only grit his teeth and squeeze his eyes shut in pain. This was the first time that he had ever been sent careening _through_ one of these mechanical abominations, and it was a most unpleasant sensation indeed.

After what felt like an eternity banished to a realm of oil and steel, he burst through the other side of the machine, through some miracle with sword still in hand. As best as he could, he curled up and rolled with the force that sent him flying in the first place. The initial impact was brutal, as his shoulder crashed into the unyielding floor, and he skidded several feet before he finally came to a stop, lying on his back.

"I... Fight on..." he muttered, if only out of habit.

He took this small moment to take stock of his situation, idly staring at the yellow and hexagon-ridden ceiling of the room. Even he, perhaps one of the greatest warriors of his generation, had to admit that this obstacle course was... somewhat _trying_ at this difficulty level.

His next thought was cut off, as a massive metallic foot crashed to the ground only inches from his head. Above him, his vision was filled with the sleek, killing machine that now loomed over him. Its right claw was held high in the air, ready to smash his skull. The kendo master struggled to raise his sword to block the attack, but with resigned dignity, realized that even had he not been stunned from his recent flight, he lacked both the leverage and positioning to actually stay the unnatural strength of the machine.

Instead, he smiled widely at the machine, just in time to watch its head explode in a shower of golden sparks. His smile only widened as a slender, dark skinned hand lowered down to help him up. Without hesitating for a second, he clasped the silken hand and let the unusually strong girl pull him to his feet.

"Worry not, my noble companion, I shall repay my debt to you a _hundredfold_ before this fight is done," he declared proudly.

Bumble Bee's smile brightened her face like the North Star, even as her eyes rolled in amusement. "What? Only a hundred? I think I'm worth at least a _thousandfold_ here, Tatie," she joked.

His response to that was to pull her to his chest and spin her to the side as his blade flashed out once more, skewering the flailing tentacle behind her. He smiled dashingly, even as she looked ready to yell at him for grabbing her like that; at least until she noticed that why he had just done it.

"Then let that be the _first_ of my thousand-fold repayment!" he boasted proudly. He then released her and spun to deflect a missile back away from them and into a nearby wall where it exploded harmlessly. Kunou then turned back to the girl, who was already blasting away at a laser emplacement further down the room. "And never, _never_ call me _Tatie_ , woman!"

Bumble Bee punched a hole through the chest of another drone, before tearing its arm off and beating another tentacle into scrap metal. She then dropped the abused limb and slid back until their backs nearly touched. Almost unconsciously, he dipped his left shoulder and began to circle in that direction. Without even looking, he could sense his winged companion do the same until they were slowly rotating around each other. It was a technique that he had read about once and had always fascinated him. It was very efficient as well, it allowed them to watch each other's back perfectly, as well as allowing them to throw off their opponents by constantly switching who was fighting.

Honestly, he had never imagined being in such a position to use the maneuver, nor did he know anyone else that he would even consider working so closely with, however, Bumble Bee had already proved herself to be a most proficient combatant as well as an excellent teammate.

"This is a pretty fancy move, Tatie, what do ya call it?" came a sultry voice from over his shoulder. He growled slightly at that.

"What did I just say, woman? Why must you insist upon calling me by that odious nickname?" he asked, truly frustrated. He gasped slightly when Bumble Bee suddenly reversed her rotation, spinning quickly to the right. She crossed right in front of him for a second, smiling wickedly, she took that second to pinch his cheek playfully before she continued her spin to finish at his back once again. Then they were back in their defensive spin as if they had never left it.

"Heh, cuz it's just so _funny_ to see you get annoyed over it." She giggled behind his back.

The swordsman was certainly glad she couldn't see his face, as a faint blush descended upon his features. He was also glad they had come to be relatively isolated in the battle, he would hate to think what kind of conclusions people would draw if they saw the two of them acting so companionable...

" _Ohohohoho_! Brother dear, what is _this_ I see?" came a gratingly familiar voice from above him. A second later he was roughly bumped forward, as an extra body dropped into their defensive circle and joined in their graceful and deadly dance. As best as he could, the eldest Kunou sibling refrained from groaning openly, the last thing he wanted to do was offend his unbalanced sister.

He could just barely hear his villainous partner's quiet complaint about ribbon toting psychos. Perhaps, if he just ignored his sister, she wouldn't bother him. They were in a life and death situation after all; he could justify that couldn't he?

His hopes of that were quickly dashed, by a pointy elbow being jabbed into his ribs. "Well, my dear brother, are you not going to _introduce_ me to your new friend? It is so rare that I see you actually interacting with a female who isn't _desperately_ trying to escape your attention, _Ohohoho_!"

Her patronizing laughter made his fingers tighten painfully around his sword until his knuckles turned white. Normally. his sister’s words meant nothing to him, but none of his classmates had ever really seen _that_ side of him. And for some reason, he preferred that it stay that way.

Still, she did have a point, gritting his teeth further, he began, "Kodachi, this is my classmate, she goes by the moniker of Bumble Bee. Bumble Bee, this is my twisted sister, Kodachi."

"Pleased to meet you," came the bee clad girl's sarcastic greeting. She then grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself so that her lips were only an inch from his ear. "Tatie, this girl is actually your _sister_?" she whispered harshly in disbelief. He could only roll his eyes even as he lashed out at another automaton.

Kodachi’s loud sniff of disdain gathered his attention once more.

"Only classmates _indeed_. I must say, brother, I do not _approve_ at all. I really don't think that you should be polluting our proud family with such debased stock. Perhaps you can keep her as a mistress though, _Ohohoho_!" Kodachi let out one last unhinged laugh, before suddenly leaping out of their circle and back into the greater battle.

This time he did groan out loud, as his shoulder bounced into the now unmoving form of Bumble Bee. His blade spun an intricate dance around them, protecting them even as he stared at the girl, her hands veritably trembling in rage. Leave it to his sister to do the maximum amount of damage in the minimum amount of time. Truly, it was her most admirable talent.

Suddenly his classmates face snapped up, a look of fury etched on her features. "That – _that_... Did she just say that I wasn't good enough for you because I'm _black_?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

Her outburst nearly brought his sword to a stop completely. He looked at her strangely as she glared at him. A chuckle escaped his lips at that, in retrospect not the best idea though. Suddenly he found himself a foot off the ground as a powerful hand twisted his shirt in a fabric ruining fashion.

"And just what is so funny about _that,_ mister?" she asked angrily.

He just shook his head. "She was not commenting upon thine ebony complexion, but rather upon her perception of your social status," he explained seriously.

"Huh?" was her immediate response.

He sighed at that and tried to explain it in far simpler words than he normally used... not that his lovely companion was slow in any way, but he did tend to use... somewhat archaic language.

"She thinks you're poor," he deadpanned.

Bumble Bee dropped him at that, a look of surprise on her face. "Oh... well, I guess that's different. She's still a _bitch,_ though."

He very nearly laughed out loud. Really, there was only one thing he could say in response.

" _Verily_."

* * *

Mousse severed another of the flashing electrical tentacles with his naginata, before drawing it into his sleeve like the last five tendrils that had come near him. He took a moment to tally in his head: six of the metallic cables, two buzzsaw arms and one unexploded missile that he had managed to snag out of the air. He wished he had thought of this earlier when he had still had access to a mad genius to help stock his inventory.

The nearly blind martial artist let out a sigh, even as he continued to battle the formidable forces arrayed against them all. He had so many regrets after the past several weeks. It was hard to conceive just how easily he had been deceived into joining the side of evil. Was he truly so shallow that even the _thought_ of his beloved being harmed would drive him to such depths? He hadn't even asked to see any proof, never even questioned the fact that Kunou or Ryouga didn't seem to know about Shampoo's supposed murder.

No, as soon as he had heard the Headmaster's words, he had instantly lost himself in grief and rage; he had gladly agreed to learn the assassin's arts. Finally, and most heinously of all, he had nearly _killed_ that poor girl, Raven. He had been so swept up in his revenge, that he had never even considered that she might have been innocent.

Three laser turrets forced him back into the moment, their crimson beams promising death to anyone that wasn't paying attention. Instantly, he whipped out a pair of highly polished steel war fans and deflected the beams to more deserving targets. He was only glad they were all programmed to aim for his center mass, so he could easily catch all three attacks upon the wide surfaces of the fans. First, he directed the beams through a wall mounted launcher, severed a tendril that was about to strike out at an unsuspecting Ukyou, and then back to the lasers themselves. The three deadly weapons exploded in a blinding flash of light... well, blinding to anyone else, anyway, more of a somewhat brighter blur to him.

He quickly spun and sent the two metallic fans sailing out into the melee, one severing the arm of a robot reaching out for a cringing Kasumi and the other smashing a saw blade that was intent on dismembering Cyborg. The hidden weapon master smiled wryly, he was far more at home here than any of their would-be rescuers, having trained harshly every day since his battle with Raven.

Still, that self-destruct was a bit worrisome; he wasn't quite sure how to get through those massive blast doors, himself.

A jade explosion only a foot to his side sent him flying to the ground several feet away. Gingerly, he stuck a finger in his ear to stop the ringing. He turned to see the remains of one of the robots that had nearly caught him in that second of distraction. He quickly rolled to his feet once more as the purple and orange blob that had just dispatched his attacker moved over to his side.

"Oh! I am most apologetic, Mr. Mousse, you are unharmed I hope?" asked the girl, well... hopefully. He sighed again as he pulled out yet another fan of throwing knives from his voluminous sleeves.

"I am not hurt, but really, shouldn't you be over helping your friends on the _other_ side of the room?" he muttered in a low voice. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the wave of deadly blades flying off into the nearly indiscernible mess that was taking form around them. Frankly, he was starting to not really care where his weapons were going anymore.

"Oh no, not at all! My comrades are most proficient in the fighting of the villains. I feel our efforts would be better served if I were to continue to battle on this side of the chamber." she replied sweetly... a little _too_ sweetly if you asked him. He was certain that if he could see better, he would have been faced with a girl with starry eyes and blushing cheeks.

"Look, Miss Starfire, I apologize for hugging you like that earlier. I had meant to make sure that _Shampoo_ was alright. Um, not that I'm _not_ glad that you are alright as well, because I am... it's just that... um..." his scolding declaration trailed off as he could practically sense the innocent cuteness radiating from the girl before him.

Damn! She was really ruining his dramatic and angst-ridden line of thought over his unforgivable actions lately. Frankly, he didn't know what was worse, that this alien girl was giving him the puppy dog pout...

The screeching of metal being torn asunder heralded his beloved's return to the small section of the battle that he had carved out for himself. The bubbly warrior bounced up beside him, flouting her massively heavy mace and excessively long sword like they were children’s toys.

"Mousse, you should no turn down such too too strong girl. Shampoo think you two have good strong children, make village _very_ happy!" she giggled happily.

...or the fact that Shampoo was encouraging it.

With a loud groan, the Hidden Weapons master took flight and surrendered his small patch of land to the only enemy that had ever truly frightened him.

Shampoo when she was ‘ _giddy’_.

* * *

Shampoo's smile only widened as she watched her blind duck flee to a distant region of the battle. Absently she slashed down another drone and ducked under a laser as she turned to face the smiling alien girl.

"Why you act so nice to Mousse, anyway? Shampoo thought bird-girl say you like bird-boy?" she asked slyly.

The orange skinned girl only shrugged happily as she unleashed a volley of energy blasts that would have left most master martial artists collapsed on the ground and drained of all ki.

"Truly, Robin is very important to me but does that mean that I am unable to appreciate the aesthetic natures of other earth males?" she replied coyly.

The lavender haired Amazon only smiled wider at that.

"Shampoo think two of us get along just fine!"

* * *

Cologne analyzed the battle around her, even as her cane became nothing more than a brown blur of destruction. All the children were doing well, each of them fighting as well as she had ever seen them before. Some of the blasted fools were even smiling and joking around with each other; had they forgotten that this entire facility was going to explode in only a scant few minutes?

She quickly made her way to the fiercest area of combat. A tap from her cane shattered a rotating steel blade that came too close; she then used the fragments to deflect two lasers that blazed in her direction. A second later, she alighted down beside a beleaguered Robin. Typically, the boy was off fighting on his own, as if he had something to prove, even as the fighters with twice his skill and power were already forming into small teams.

"Biting off a little more than we can chew, aren't we?" she muttered, half proud, half annoyed at the boy’s determination. She turned to face another of the metallic drones and destroy the annoying machine, when suddenly a metallic Bo staff flew over her shoulder and impaled the machine through its "eye". The machine’s whole head exploded brilliantly, launching the staff back to its owner.

Robin ran up to her side, breathing heavily, but ready for more. Without even looking her way, he growled angrily. "I can _handle_ it, Sifu!"

She smiled at his perseverance; let the boy have his fun. Honestly, she had more important things to consider.

This _blasted_ room, it was a nuisance, but a time consuming one. She took stock of all her allies, of how well they were fighting. To her trained eye, it seemed a forgone conclusion that they would defeat everything this room had to throw at them. Unfortunately, her trained eye also told her that at the rate they were clearing out the rooms dangers, the fight would last roughly two minutes longer than any of them would still be alive!

She wracked her mind to find a solution. The doors which entrapped them were too thick to blast through in time, and likely locked into place. She doubted that even Cyborg and Starfire together could pry them open. There were no obvious places to access the rooms controls, which perhaps the cybernetic hero could use to save them, and the Headmaster had used his powers to activate everything, so that gave no solutions either.

If only... if only there was some way to escape this room.

She scanned the room once more. Slowly her eyes settled upon an unlikely duo at the far side of the room.

Hmm, if only, indeed.

* * *

In a flash of crimson light, Brother Blood and his quarry appeared upon the ancient wooden shingles that covered the roof of the church. The aged villain stared down vindictively at the unconscious boy that lay at his feet. A thousand heinous acts poured through his mind, each crueller than the last. What, _oh_ what should he do with this pubescent architect to his defeat?

He gazed into the boy's unblinking eyes and groaned loudly. He wondered what could have brought the fool to such a state. Not that it mattered. The only thing that did matter was that his revenge would be a truly hollow thing if he could not even have the pleasure of seeing true terror in the eyes of his victim before the end.

Why did this particular boy seem to find a way to make _everything_ so very frustrating? He supposed that he could just erase the boy’s psyche, leave him a veritable living corpse. It did have a nice taste of irony; that the directionless boy should survive all his friends, but only as an unthinking vegetable.

But... but it just didn't feel _right_. No, he wanted to make this boy _suffer_ for what he had cost him! He let out a sigh of disgust; the only way he would enjoy this, would be for him to wake the fool boy up, himself. He certainly hoped no one saw him do this; he'd hate to think they could get the wrong idea.

Hmm, if he were going into the boy's mind, anyway, maybe he could take this opportunity to truly reprogram the boy; bring the young warrior utterly under his control. It did have merit, and he could torment Ryouga for _years_ even as he used him to further his own goals. He had just lost an entire class of students after all, and it seemed like a good a time as any to begin recruiting again.

Smiling more wickedly than ever, Brother Blood knelt before the comatose boy and placed a pair of fingers upon the boy's brow.

"So, Mr. Hibiki, tell me what is troubling you."

* * *

Ryouga spun around, a disturbing presence intruding upon his silent contemplation. Everywhere around him, all that existed was blackness; it seemed to stretch on forever. But he knew what he had felt, and it had felt uncomfortably familiar. Slowly, he continued to turn, his gaze sliding across the spinning nimbus of light that lived at the center of his universe. His calm demeanor began to disintegrate, as he felt the numbness flowing from his limbs.

What was happening? He tried desperately to regain the lack of feeling that had just entombed him a moment before, but a stubborn feeling kept bubbling up in his heart.

"My, my, Mr. Hibiki. I had heard of empty-headed buffoons before, but never have I seen such a literal example," a familiar voice rang out in the darkness. It followed with a bout of mocking laughter that cut into him like rusty knives.

He spun around frantically several more times, trying to find his tormentor, but to no avail. His only companion appeared to be his luminescent neighbor. Strangely, the stronger his feelings grew, the fainter the light became, fading away and taking its promise of cold conclusion with it.

The fanged fighter panicked, his sense of calm slipping away like grains of sand through his fingers. It was steadily being transfused with another more primal and familiar emotion, one that he had lived with for most of his life.

" _Damn_ you, Headmaster! Where are you hiding, you _bastard_?"

Yes, he felt anger burning through his veins now... and strangely, after the aching absence of any feeling whatsoever, it felt _good_.

"Foolish Boy! Don't you understand what is happening around you? We are in your mind, and as such, I am wherever I _wish_ to be, whatever I wish to be. And now that I have seen what a fragile state your psyche is in, I shall also do _whatever_ I wish to do," threatened the voice ominously.

" _Rrrgghhh_! What makes you think I'll let you get away with that, old man?" he barked back to the disembodied voice. Almost immediately he was assaulted by a hail of laughter, the harsh, biting sound was enough to send the Lost Boy to his knees in pain.

"Heh, as you can see, you are in no position to resist me now. Your will might have been powerful when first we met but look at you now." The voice gained form, as the Headmaster coalesced from the very darkness itself. Confidently, the aged villain strode forward, gesturing towards his fallen form.

"Huddled, alone in the dark. Your friends, all dead. Jinx, who had so easily deceived you at my bidding, has abandoned you." The wickedly smiling villain ran a clawed hand through his swooping grey hair. "You are a broken man, Mr. Hibiki. You have nothing to live for; I have already stripped you of all that gave your life purpose.”

The old man chuckled in amusement at the torment he’d inflicted on Ryouga.

“It almost seems like a waste, bending such a shattered soul to my will, but then, that _is_ why I got into this line of work, to cause as much pain and suffering as possible." The Headmaster had the audacity to smile and chuckle gleefully.

Fighting against the tremendous weight that the Headmaster was crushing down upon him, Ryouga slowly slipped one of his feet under himself.

"You're wrong, Headmaster," he growled from between gritted teeth. The older man looked down at him, curiosity in his eyes. "You've stolen my happiness, destroyed my love, lain waste to my hopes and dreams..." Slowly he began to push himself back up to his feet, fighting his opponent's powerful will for every millimeter gained.

"You've taken all of that from me... But none of those things were what gave my life purpose," he stated angrily. "Ever since I met _Ranma_ , only one thing has driven me..."

He stared deeply into the Headmaster's eyes, he could see himself in them, see his own eyes glowing with crimson fury. With one final push, he stood straight and proud before the uncertain form of the aged villain.

"You have given me something worth living for, Headmaster, the only thing that has _ever_ mattered to me. _Revenge_!" he declared heatedly. He then crossed his arms before him and summoned all the power left to him.

"Now get the _hell_ out of my _head_!"

And his world dissolved into an ocean of azure light.

* * *

Ranma flipped over the head of another drone, just barely clearing the machine before it could smash him and his precious cargo to pieces. He landed harshly and stumbled several steps. He had to spin quickly to avoid staggering face first into the wall with Raven in his arms. As it was, his back sent him another wave of signals telling his entire body to shut down. He just barely fought off the black spots that danced across his vision for a moment, before he pushed himself off from the wall to escape the claws of the robot as it spun to find him.

"Ranma! Just put me _down_! You're too exhausted to keep this up and carry me at the same time!" exclaimed his wounded passenger. He stared into her violet eyes angrily for a second, even as he continued to evade his enemies. He didn't even have the energy to counterattack, and if he did, he doubted he would be able to damage them in the state he was in.

"For the last time, would you _shut up_? Sheesh, you're worse than Akane! I'm not gonna leave you on the floor to get stepped on," he shouted back, "Ya crazy kick ..." he muttered in a low voice. Obviously not low enough, considering the way her eyes narrowed.

He stumbled again, suddenly gasping for air. Apparently shouting at someone takes up more oxygen than one would think in this kind of situation. His battle with Ryouga had taken more of a toll on him than he had thought. Combine that with having to drag the Lost Boy down the entire way here and now being stuck in the firing range from hell. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. Especially considering he was carrying a passenger, not that he would ever admit that.

He glared across the room to see Kunou effortlessly slashing through enemies, some girl wearing a bee costume right at his back. Mousse flew over top of him, apparently making some space between himself and some other opponent. The red-haired girl and Shampoo were chatting amiably even as they destroyed the robots around them.

Damnit! They were all making him look bad. It wasn't fair! None of them had had to fight _nearly_ as hard as him to get here.

A shockwave right behind him nearly knocked him off his feet. He turned just in time to watch an ebony wall of darkness melt away to nothing, leaving a waft of smoke floating into the air. He looked in surprise to the girl in his arms. She only smiled wryly at him, before wincing in pain and raising a hand to her forehead.

Before he had a chance to do anything, he was forced to leap away again as a tower rose beside him and a pair of metal tendrils whipped out at him. A tiny jolt ran up his leg as he flew, his dodge had been by a narrower margin than he had hoped.

He landed again, and just in time for a pair of hands to wrap strongly around his arm. On instinct, he tried to spin away from the grip, but he just didn't have to strength to break free. He was about to lash out (likely ineffectually) at his attacker when-

"Ranma! The Headmaster, he took Ryouga!" cried Akane's distraught voice. He turned quickly to see his fiancée holding desperately to his arm. He let out a sigh of relief that she looked relatively unharmed, only a few bumps and bruises and a few tears in her outfit. Suddenly her words pierced the heavy cloud that was settling over his mind.

"What! What are ya talkin bout, Akane?" he asked quickly.

"The old man, while everyone was distracted fighting, he walked right up to Ryouga, and then the two of them vanished in a flash of light. I-I just know that he's going to do something horrible to Ryouga," she pleaded.

Any further discussion was put on hold, as another drone loomed up over the three of them. Ranma had no idea what to do; there was no way that he was going to be able to get _both_ girls out of there-

Suddenly the massive robot was tackled to the side by Cyborg. The tall Titan straddled the machine and smashed a hole through its head before picking up the entire thing and throwing it off into the melee. The cybernetic teen ran up to the three of them.

" _Dang_ it, man, there's no end to them! And to top it off, this whole place is gonna go up in a few minutes!" he exclaimed in the initial stages of panic. Suddenly the large boy looked off at something past the three of them. "Yo, BB! Hold on, I'll be right there!" he yelled out. He then matched deed to word and ran off once more.

Ranma and his two companions could only stare at the display for a moment before they came back to their senses. The Saotome heir narrowed his eyes, coming to a decision. Slowly he turned to his fiancée and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, uncertain what he was doing.

"Akane, I want you to go find Cologne. If anyone has already figured out a way to get everyone out of here, it's her," he asked her seriously.

"What do you mean, Ranma? You can barely stand, I need to stay here and help you," she replied earnestly. His eyes matched hers for a moment, and he felt a warming in his chest that had nothing to do with the girl in his arms.

"Akane, I'm _counting_ on you to figure out how to get everyone else out of here. I know you can do it; I know I can trust you."

Confusion flooded her face at his request. "What are you talking about? What are you planning on doing?"

He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "There's nothing Raven and I can do down here, but there _is_ something else we can do," he began. "I don't have time to argue with you on this, you need to get everyone out of here. I – I need to go help Ryouga," he stated calmly.

The youngest Tendo looked ready to argue, she likely had a dozen good reasons to fight him on this... but there must have been something in his eyes that stopped her. After only a few seconds of staring uncertainly, the blue haired girl nodded fiercely and spun away to find the ancient Joketsuzoku warrior.

Ranma smiled at that, he knew he was going to have enough trouble convincing Raven to go along with this, without having to argue with Akane. He took the time Akane bought him with her egress, to leap behind a small mountain of smashed robots that Happosai had left in his wake, hopefully it would buy him the time he needed. As soon as he landed, he looked to the violet haired girl in his arms. She stared back at him impassively.

"And just _how_ are you proposing that we help Ryouga?" she asked quietly.

He smiled at her cockily. "You're going to take us to him, you're the only one here that can get us out of here, and you're the only one that even has a chance to find him."

Her eyes narrowed almost angrily at that. "Don't you think that if I had the strength to teleport everyone out of here, that I already would have done that? And there is _no wa_ y that I would abandon my friends like that," she stated heatedly.

"Raven! Ryouga is _my_ friend, _our_ friend, and I won't abandon him, either! Everyone down here is in trouble, but I have _faith_ in my friends, I know they can get out of this. But Ryouga, he's freakin unconscious! There's _nothing_ that he can do to protect himself." Gently he lowered the girl to the ground and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"As much as the Lost Boy goes on about how much he hates me, h-he's _always_ been there when I needed him. Whenever the kips were down, he was _always_ at my side. How can I do any less for him? Raven... Ryouga's been alone his _whole_ life, he's had to face everything on his own. Well – well I won't let him face this alone! We have to help him, we _have_ to!" he pleaded with the dark Titan.

Raven's hard gaze softened slightly as she looked at him. The girl was unable to hold his steady stare, as she looked down and away. "I – I wish I had the chance to know him as well as you do," she muttered with regret. Then she looked back at him, a flicker of something in her eyes.

"So, Ranma, provided that I _had_ the strength to do what you want, which I don't, and provided I _could_ find them, which I can't. What exactly would we _do_ if we did get to Ryouga's side?" she asked wryly, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly, perhaps in amusement. She then waved an arm above her, gesturing to the room full of fighters. "In case you've forgotten, the two of us are in the worst shape of anyone here; even Beast Boy would have a better chance against the Headmaster than us."

He gave her the best, cockiest grin he could muster. "Well, provided I _had_ the energy to fight, which I don't; I'd say I kick that _old bastard's_ butt while you wake up Ryouga. I figure between the three of us, we should be more than a match for some creepy old man. Well asides from the old freak, that is." He tried to put as much confidence into his words, even as he, himself felt a dark coil of fear tightening around his heart. Sure, they'd be leaving everyone here in danger, but if they got where he wanted them, well, they'd be going from the frying pan to the bonfire.

The girl's violet eyes drilled into him, disbelief and resignation filling them. Slowly she took a deep breath and pulled out her communicator. She opened the device and a second later, a tiny, masked face appeared in the tiny screen.

"Robin... this is Raven," she wheezed painfully.

"Raven, what's going on, this isn't really a good time you know!" The young hero had to shout to be heard over the combat, which had the interesting effect of them hearing him in stereo, both on the device and from across the room.

"I just wanted to tell you, that Ranma and I are going after the Headmaster. I wanted-"

"What! Are you _crazy_?" Robin's cry cut off Raven mid-speech. "You're way too injured to take on the Headmaster, I absolutely forbid it! You just do your best to stay out of danger," ordered the Titan Leader.

The pigtailed fighter growled, quickly he snatched the device.

"Hey there, kid, don't you worry 'bout Raven and me, we got this covered. You just make sure you and your little buddies get out of here in one piece. Heh, you didn't think that Saotome Ranma would come all this way and _not_ jump in on the big fight." With that, he closed the communicator and tossed it off to the side. He then turned back to his injured companion, smiling widely, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Meh, he didn't have anything interesting to say, anyway, now come on, let's get this show on the road," he exclaimed.

The dark-haired Titan only glared at him. "That was my favorite communicator, you know. And all your bragging talk doesn't change the fact that I don't have the power to teleport us and that you're in no condition to fight anyway," she muttered darkly.

He just shrugged at that and knelt before her, gently taking her hand. Slowly, slowly, his hands began to glow a faint yellow color, which began to seep into the girl's pale hands. If she had looked on with disbelief before, now she stared in complete shock.

"W-what are you doing?" she demanded.

The dashing young martial artist winked at his companion, even as he fought the urge to collapse unconscious from the strain of this technique. "H-heh... j-just figured out ho-how you... did that healin thing up there. S'not so hard for – for someone as great as me..." he wheezed out. He could feel his ki flowing into Raven, like a tiny stream of life. It was vastly different from any other ki technique he had ever done, and he didn't exactly have a lot left to practice with, but after watching her do it, it didn't seem too hard.

He was only able to keep it up for a few more seconds, before he collapsed back against the pile of scrap robots that surrounded them, breathing like he had just run a hundred miles. All he could do was lie there and watch as Raven slowly sat up, looking at her hands in wonder. It didn't appear to have healed her at all, but he figured he might at least have transferred enough ki to let her use her powers for this one trip.

The gothic Titan continued to hold her hand before her and gradually a dark aura formed around it. Likely against her will, a smile formed on her face as she looked on. She then turned to face him. "I – I think this might be enough... but we don't know _where_ they are," her voice was downcast as she explained the one downfall to his plan.

"However, it might be possible. If I could trace Ryouga's spirit, I could follow it, follow it to him. But he was practically empty of it when we brought him down here... There's no way I would be able to follow such a faint trail." Once again, her voice filled with doubt.

Ranma's head drooped as well. She had a point, how could she follow the Lost Boy, when the guy was practically in a coma? If only there was some kind of sign-

" _Whoa_!"

Above them! Both of their gazes swung up to the ceiling of the chamber; as a sudden surge of red hot, angry ki burst to life with the spiritual force of a bomb. Ranma laughed out loud even as Raven's mouth dropped open in shock.

" _Yeah_! Looks like ol'porkbutt woke _himself_ up. C'mon Raven, let's go join the party," he cheered.

Raven nodded, her shocked look dissolving into a determined mask.

"Ryouga... I'm coming," she whispered quietly.

And the two of them vanished in a wave of darkness.

* * *

Brother Blood staggered back several feet, his mind reeling from his forceful ejection from the Hibiki boy's mind. The aged villain very nearly lost his balance and fell from the long, narrow peak that topped the roof of the church, but caught himself at the last second. He took a few more moments to reorient himself before his senses were at ease once more.

Slowly, he rose, balanced perfectly on the narrow ridge of the roof. He looked up just in time to see the Lost Boy rise to his feet as well, a look of unholy fury etched on his features. Unfortunately for the boy, the fearsome effect was ruined as he swayed back and forth uncertainly and was sporting several obvious injuries. It was all the powerful psychic could do to hold in his laughter at the sight of this angry pup.

"Heh, I must say, you had me a bit worried there for a moment, Mr. Hibiki, but considering the condition which you are in, I think my vengeance will be meted out soon enough," he gloated evilly.

Ryouga's only response was to raise his hands up before him, clenching them into fists as hard as steel. The experienced criminal raised an eyebrow in interest as he watched tiny rivulets of blood begin to run from between the angry youth's balled up fingers. Almost immediately, the fanged fighter's form stopped swaying and a deep growl began to emanate from the boy's throat.

Cautiously, Brother Blood took a few steps back, raising his arms up at his sides, his hands blazing with crimson energy. "So, it seems you want to make your last moments memorable I see. By all means, enjoy this short amount of time you have, boy," he offered amiably to his victim.

With a speed that surprised the one-time Headmaster, Ryouga hunched down and launched himself forward like a bullet. The ancient timbers of the roof below the boy cracked and groaned ominously at the tremendous strain of his take off. In the blink of an eye, the bandana clad boy covered the space between them, his right fist trailing him like an angry meteor.

" ** _Die_**!"

A crash like thunder split the night as Ryouga's fist smashed home with the force of a freight train - right into the glowing plane of force that appeared several inches before Brother Blood's outstretched hand. If Ryouga was surprised, he didn't show it at all, instantly he flowed into a low kick destined to shatter his leg. The attack was fast and strong, but he was already leaping over it before the kick was even launched. Nor was he surprised as Ryouga's left hand blurred up in a blinding uppercut aimed at his kin. Rather he caught the fist on another mental shield and used its force to continue his jump up and over the boy completely.

He landed nimbly a dozen feet behind his enemy and quickly launched a razor-sharp crescent of crimson energy at the boy's exposed back. He chuckled happily as the boy's only avenue of escape was to frantically flop to the side and begin skidding uncontrollably down the steep surface of the roof. Ryouga only slid a few yards, before he smashed a hand through the aged wooden shingles and pulled himself to a halt.

Still smiling, Brother Blood sedately paced over to the area of the roof above the prone boy. "Mr. Hibiki, _really_. You could barely keep up to me when you were at the peak of health, what makes you believe you could possibly pose any threat to me at all, now?" he asked in amusement.

Ryouga stared up at him, his eyes glowing with a visceral hate. "I was fighting to save myself that first battle," hissed the boy, his words dripping with venom, "Now, I'm fighting to _kill you_!"

Suddenly the boy raised up his arm behind him, his index finger extended.

" _Baku_ -" he began.

The criminal mastermind scoffed out loud. "Fool, that only works on sto-"

" _Chaiten Kechu_!" roared the furious martial artist. The boy's finger stabbed into the heavy wooden shingles of the roof, which instantly exploded into a deadly shower of slivers and splinters that riddled Brother Blood. The unexpected move sent him flying from his precarious perch and back into the air.

With a growl of anger, he righted himself in the air and teleported back to the roof, further down from where his resourceful prey had pulled himself back onto the roof peak. With a burst of speed, he flew down the narrow ridge of the roof and lashed out at the boy, slashing furiously with his clawed gauntlets. With nowhere to go but down, the Lost Boy was forced to give ground, parrying desperately with the naked flesh of his arms. Each block left a new strip of red in the boy's skin, and sprays of blood filled the air.

He laughed cruelly at the look of fear that began to fill Ryouga's eyes. Perhaps, had the boy been in top form, he would have been able to fight back, but injured and exhausted as he was, he was doomed. He punctuated his point, sliding a flashing red fist through the boy's defenses to slam like a thunderbolt into the fanged warrior's chest. The impact sent the boy flying down the entire length of the church, until his body crashed heavily into the steeple that crowned the churches face. The sound of masonry crushing to dust filled the air as the Lost Boy's body reduced the heavy stone to gravel.

Brother Blood watched, feeling true bliss as he watched the injured fighter drag himself out of the ruins with agonizing slowness. The boy's arms were painted red and a tiny stream of blood poured from the abused boy's lips, even as he struggled to regain his feet. Gone was the look of unreasoning anger, all that remained was a hazy, confused gaze. Perhaps he had suffered a concussion from the impact?

"Come now, boy. There is no need to continue this meaningless battle. You are tired, weak, your world is pain." He raised an upturned hand to the boy. "You have angered me, but there is still much potential in you. Come with me, and I can take the pain away." He hid the evil smile that threatened to bloom on his lips. He did so enjoy toying with the minds of his victims.

Ryouga's unfocused gaze came to rest on him, suddenly, the boy looked so very, _very_ tired. He could practically feel the lethargy begin to consume the boy's spirit, even from so far away. The confused warrior looked to his bleeding hands, staring at them sadly. Without even looking up at him, the broken boy spoke, almost in a whisper. "You... you can take the pain away...?"

The fiendish villain nodded encouragingly. Just a few more nudges, and the boy would hand himself over on a silver platter. "That is what you want, isn't it? To be free from all these burdensome feelings that claw at your spirit? I can make you forget everything, your family, your friends. I can even make you forget that traitorous girl, Jinx."

He sensed his mistake instantly, as Ryouga's face snapped up, the rage coming back with a vengeance to those dark brown orbs. The boy pushed himself back to his feet and started to stagger forward.

"Forget Jinx? Forget _Jinx_! I would rather _die_ than forget her. You say you can take my pain away, make me feel nothing? Well I've had a taste of what it's like to feel nothing." The boy raised a hand to his side and a small ball of acidic jade energy began to form within his upraised palm. Almost immediately, he could feel a small tug pulling him down, even from across the roof, the timbers beneath the boy's feet began to groan in protest to the imaginary weight they suddenly supported.

"I've lived my whole life _alone_ , my only companions, solitude and loneliness. My entire life has been one long stretch of misery the likes of which most people could never even _imagine_." The small orb began to swell in size, now the size of a softball, its insides swirled with a tempest of emerald light.

"But I would gladly endure it _all_ again, every _second_ of it, if it meant one more minute with her!" The manifestation of the boy’s pain continued to grow, now the size of an over ripe melon. The air began to warp and twist around the boy, the phantom wind setting the boy's follicles to swaying. Brother Blood began to take a few nervous steps back as Ryouga advanced on him.

"You think you can bribe me by offering to rid me of this agony? Well think again! If it means forgetting all the _good_ things in my life, as _well_ as the bad, then you can go to _Hell,_ old man. You'd better be prepared to kill me, bastard, because I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all!" cried the young man, pouring his whole soul into it. With that, Ryouga launched the missile of pure angst with all the strength he had left. The spiritual attack shredded the air as it flew down the length of the building, the entire area shone with a green light and shingles were tossed to the wind at its passage.

Brother Blood could only watch as the orb descended on him like the hand of God.

* * *

Ryouga watched with grim satisfaction as his Shi Shi Houkodan careened through the air on a collision course for the monster that had brought so much pain to everyone that he knew and cared for. He nearly crowed in victory as the jade sphere flew into the old man's chest-

The Headmaster vanished in a flash of crimson light!

Everything seemed to slow down to a crawl around him. He watched in morbid fascination as his ki blast passed harmlessly through the space where his target had been only a fraction of a second before. The sphere of energy continued to travel down the length of the church at a lazy pace, heading straight for the massive gargoyle that stood watch on the far end of the church.

He felt a pair of fingers come to rest at the base of his skull.

Before him, he watched the stone guardian burst into a million fragments of green hued debris. Strangely, in this last moment, it looked unbelievably beautiful, the dance of the light, the gentle arcs of the stones as they flew. It was like watching an eerily slow ballet in the air-

"As you wish."

Suddenly, time returned to normal. A flash of red from behind him heralded pain unlike any he had ever felt before. A spear of agony lanced through his skull and he found himself flying forward through the air. A rainbow of colors danced in front of his eyes, even as he bounced across the roof of the church. Shingles shattered every time he crashed into the roof; beams cracked under his dead weight. His limbs flailed unresponsively as he bounced too far to one side, instantly he found himself sliding down the steep incline of the roof.

He closed his eyes as tightly as possible, begging his arms to reach out and grab something, anything. In another second, he would shoot off the edge of the roof, and he knew that there was no way he would survive the fall in his condition-

His uncontrolled fall stopped abruptly, a strong pressure nearly crushing his wrist had caught him. He could feel his feet dangling out over open space, even as he opened his eyes. Slowly he looked up, into the face of the person he _knew_ would be there.

"Feh, w-what took you so long... _Saotome_!" he choked out hoarsely.

Ranma's cockily smiling face gazed down at him. The pigtailed boy was laid out on the roof, his left arm dug into the wooden structure, his right hand clamped around Ryouga's wrist. It looked like the boy had had to dive just to make the catch. Ranma just smiled wider at his question.

"Hey now, it was _you_ we had to find, after all."

* * *

Ranma struggled to pull his friend back onto the roof. With one final tug, the Lost Boy finally flopped down on the steep wooden surface beside him. He nearly let out a cry of relief; he thanked whatever gods were listening that he had got there in time. He and Raven had appeared on the roof just in time to see the Lost Boy sent flying.

He looked back to the peak, where Raven was collapsed against the remains of a statue. The girl's eyes were fluttering to stay open, and her breathing came in ragged gasps. She was still up, though; _damn_ she was an impressive girl. On the opposite side of the roof, stood the tall, narrow framed figure of the Headmaster. A cruel smile graced the man's face as he watched them in amusement.

"Ranma, I don't know whether to thank you for saving me or throw you off this roof myself for bringing Raven here," grumbled his companion. Slowly, Ranma pushed himself to his hands and knees and glanced at the unhappy Lost Boy. Ryouga was just flipping himself over so that he could get up as well.

"Well, if that isn't gratitude for you. Here I come all this way just to save your pork butt, and you're already threatening to kill me!" he joked. With one last heave, he rose to his feet. Casually, he lowered a hand to help the bandanna clad boy to his feet as well. The fanged fighter gingerly shook out his limbs, as if they weren't working right, then finally accepted his help.

The two boys stared at each other for a moment, volumes being said without a single word. Finally, Ryouga broke the silence. "Don't underestimate him, Ranma. He's damn powerful, he can read your moves and the bastard can even teleport. Don't over commit to any attack and try not to think. Well, that shouldn't be a problem for _you_."

Hmm, teleport? Why did that sound familiar? "Alright, Ryouga, you go left, I'll go right, we'll get him between us," he ordered. Rather than argue, Ryouga nodded smartly, right before studiously moving up to the Headmaster's right side. Ranma smacked a hand to his forehead, he’d been _asking_ for that one! Not bothering to point out the obvious, he moved for the old man's left side.

The aged villain looked down on them as they began stalking around him.

"Mr. Saotome, you _surprise_ me. From everything I had heard about you, you struck me as a boy that enjoyed his life. And now here you are, rushing towards certain death, and for _what_? Some fool boy that hates you more than life itself?" droned the old man, "Such a pity, had you stayed down below, you might have enjoyed another three, maybe even _four_ minutes of life with your friends."

The pigtailed fighter smiled; this guy wanted to try to rile _him_ up? Time for a lesson in the arts of Anything Goes Taunting.

"Really now? Everything I heard about _you_ tells me that you're a washed up, has-been that's too _pathetic_ to mix it up with the big boys! No, you gotta come here and mess with kids a quarter your age,” he chuckled derisively, “And lookie here, you're _still_ getting your butt whooped!"

The Headmaster's look of amusement died instantly. "You impudent _whelp_! You have no idea of the true scope of my plans!"

Ranma only shrugged, even as he carefully stalked up the roof to the peak. "Oh _yeah_ , I bet ya got _big_ plans. What are ya gonna do now that you've found out that _teenagers_ are too tough for ya? Start robbing the nursery at the hospital? I bet they got _tons_ of super powered babies these days."

The grey-haired villain clenched his fists in rage and stomped forward a step. "What do you know, you ignorant, backwards bumpkin? I am _Brother Blood_! I am the most feared villain in the entire criminal underworld! I can destroy you with a thought!"

A smirk pulled at the Saotome’s lip. " _Brother_ Blood? Heh, not even Father Blood? How can anyone take ya serious? You even give _yourself_ a second-rate name. And I admit, I might not have known what the heck was goin' on here at first, but a week on the internet teaches ya a few things. If you're the most dangerous guy there is... then why are ya playin' in the _little leagues_? I never _once_ heard about you tanglin' with that Superman guy, heck, I bet that Batman guy could kick your butt, and he ain't even got _no powers_!"

The furious Brother Blood took another step forward, his hands and eyes glowing with crackling red energy. "That is _enough_! I have had enough of your idiotic quips!" roared the old man. Ranma prepared to leap out of the way of any unusual attacks when-

Brother Blood received a tap on the shoulder.

The old villain turned just in time to stare into the snarling visage of Ryouga Hibiki, the Lost Boy's fist cocked back like the hammer of a gun.

"I got yer idiotic quip right here!"

Ranma winced at the meaty impact of Ryouga's fist with the Headmaster's face. The force of the blow drove the surprised villain down, into and _through_ the roof of the church. The wood shattered under the old man, raining down to the church floor, dozens of feet below. He smiled to his foremost rival and gave him the thumbs up.

"Nice shot, hopefully you made it count, since it's likely the only cheap shot we're gonna get."

Ryouga shook his fist lightly, before returning a fanged grin. "I'm just glad that I managed to tag the old bastard at least _once_ … you know, before he kills us and all." The Lost Boy then straightened and rubbed the back of his neck gingerly. "Still, of all the people I could ask to accompany me to hell, I'm kind of _glad_ it was you, Saotome."

Ranma rolled his stormy blue eyes.

"Sheesh, Ryouga, you always gotta be such a _pessimist_? I didn't come all this way just to get killed by some nursing home _loser_." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the crumpled form of the girl at the far end of the roof, behind him. "Asides, we got a damsel in distress to protect. I know you probably don't care if the two of _us_ die, but I know you ain't gonna let that _bastard_ hurt another hair on her head."

His friend looked past him, his eyes softening for a moment as he gazed at the dark girl that had touched his heart all those months ago. Then his brown orbs hardened to steel and he nodded angrily.

"All right, Ranma; for Raven, for Jinx, for Akane, for _everyone_ that this bastard has hurt… for them, we're gonna kill him," he declared earnestly. "We've probably only got a few seconds before he gets back here, so what's your plan, how are we gonna take him down?"

"Plan? Hell, I got _no idea_ how we're gonna beat him!" he replied incredulously.

"No plan? But you _always_ come up with some cowardly way to win!"

"Cowardly? You jerk, you're just jealous cuz I always _beat you_!"

"What are you talking about? I beat you _plenty_ of times!"

"Name _one_ , Pork Butt!"

Ryouga sputtered angrily and looked about ready to launch himself across the hole he had just created, when -

"You _Idiots_! He's _above_ you!" Raven's weak voice rang through the still night air.

Crap! They both looked up in time to see Brother Blood descending on them, silhouetted by the full moon. The old man’s clawed gauntlets burned like twin crimson suns and his bruised face twisted into a furious grimace.

Strangely, Ranma's next sentiment was heard in stereo, as Ryouga mirrored his thoughts exactly.

"Ah _hell_..."

* * *

Beast Boy morphed back to his elfin form, standing back to back with his oldest and best buddy, Cyborg. After being subjected to, like, fifteen of the best fighters that the changeling had _ever_ seen, the battle room was quickly losing steam. Sure, the fighting was still intense, but at least they were getting a few chances to catch their breath. _Hmm_ , he couldn't help but think there was something he was forgetting, though.

"Yo, Grass Stain! I'm up to thirty-three, what's your count?" asked his friend from over his shoulder.

He laughed gleefully.

"Dude! I'm totally _owning_ you; I got thirty- _seven_!" He jumped forward, morphing into a massive gorilla, and smashing another drone, before morphing back and rejoining his friend. "Thirty- _eight_!"

The emerald shape shifter didn't hear any response, so he looked over his shoulder to see what his buddy was up to. The massive, cybernetic youth was hunched over, a sparking tool between his teeth, playing around with something on his left arm.

"Ain't no way I'm losin to no _half pint_ monkey boy," muttered the boy, around the tool.

A moment later the titanium coated teen stood back up, cheering in triumph. "Ha, ain't no one gonna stop me now, _baby_!"

Beast Boy spun around to see what his crazy friend was going on about. Cyborg held up his left hand proudly... which only confused the jade teen further.

"The T-Soaker 3000?" he queried in confusion.

Cyborg's smile just widened. "Wrong! The T-Soaker 3000, _version 2.0_!" With that, his giant friend pointed his water spraying limb at the closest robot trying to kill them and fired.

Beast Boy's jaw dropped, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. What should have been the equivalent to a good dousing by a garden hose came out as a pin sized stream of water that struck the drone with the deadly force of a surgical laser. A single swipe was all it took, and the top half of the robot slid away from the bottom and crashing to the ground.

For just a second, complete silence reigned over the room, as every Jusenkyo cursed person in the chamber stared at Cyborg in abject horror. A second later, Beast Boy jumped up and slapped his metallic comrade on the back.

"Dude! That was _sooo_ _awes_ -"

A massive explosion from somewhere in the facility cut off the rest of his sentence, not to mention sent him flopping to his butt.

"Self Destruct Initiated!" came the computers rather unnecessary warning. A second later, another explosion rocked the complex, from where he had no idea.

Cyborg dropped a hand and dragged him back up to his feet. "Dammit! It's already started, how the hell are we gonna _get outta_ here?"

Another explosion quickly followed by another shook the chamber further. He wasn't any kind of expert, but they seemed to be getting faster, not to mention closer. He didn't know what kind of power plant was powering this place, but it didn't take a huge stretch of logic to figure that as soon as _that_ went up, it would be game over for all of them.

The huge vault doors still stood as well, blackened, and warped; they had withstood the worst that any of them could dish out and still blocked the exits with grim finality. The room shaking almost constantly, as the frequency and ferocity of the eruptions continued throughout the entire structure.

Slowly, he looked up to his friend and stared him in the eyes.

"I love you, dude."

Cyborg rolled his eyes and looked like he was just about to say something-

The sharp sensation of wood colliding with skull demanded both of their attentions quite quickly. A second later, the gnarled end of a staff hooked over his shoulder and pulled him down within a foot of the ground, which put him pretty much eye to massive eye with a serious looking Cologne.

"You! Come! _Now_!"

* * *

Raven watched the macabre spectacle before her, just barely succeeding in keeping her eyes open. Only through her lifetime of mediation and training, was she able to focus past her pain, but she was still keenly aware of every injury. Her arm had thankfully gone numb, but her ribs burned with every breath she drew in, and she could feel her life's blood draining through the soaked material of her uniform. Something felt wrong... _inside_ , as well. While Ranma had saved her life a dozen times down in the obstacle room, it had _not_ been a gentle ride at all.

She pushed it all down, now wasn't the time to worry about her own injuries. It all seemed to be a moot point, anyway, as she watched the fight. Her friends were fighting bravely, they were fighting skillfully... they were fighting _futilely_. Why worry about her injuries, when it seemed likely that the Headmaster would end up killing her long before her internal bleeding had a chance to?

The dark Titan watched as the three opponents danced across the roof of the church, flashes of red lighting up the night. Ryouga swung his fist at the villain, trying to force him into Ranma's jumping kick, but the old man just grabbed his hand and swung him down the side of the roof, even as he launched the Saotome boy even higher into the air with a burst of energy. Ryouga only slid for a few feet before he recovered and charged back in, fists flying. The two combatants danced back and forth, limbs moving in blurs, as Ranma crashed back to the roof several yards away. A second later and he was up and joining the hectic exchange.

Kicks sundered the air, punches cracked the night, every step of the way, Brother Blood was always one step ahead of them. A crash of thunder sounded, and Ranma flew into the air again, as a circular plane of force plowed into his kin. The boy began to flip in mid air, even as Ryouga tried to tackle their enemy’s exposed back.

Instead, Ryouga crashed to the roof again as the Headmaster vanished in a flash of light. A tearing sound caught her attention. She looked up just in time to see Ranma tear a long strip from his pants and drop it to Ryouga. What was he doing-

"Behind!" Ranma barked out harshly, still a few inches from the ground. Ryouga's hand shot up and grabbed the strip of cloth, instantly it became a circular blur and flew with a sound akin to the saws down below. But what was he throwing at?

Suddenly a flash of light appeared at the far end of the church, directly in the path of the deadly discus! Brother Blood appeared, just in time to yell in shock and dive to the side in panic. A spray of scarlet filled the air, as the piece of fabric tore into the villain's cheek, just inches from finishing the fight permanently. The Headmaster howled in pain and anger as he crashed heavily to the shingles.

If the two boys were happy about their success, she couldn't tell; their backs were to her, but their hunched postures told her they were preparing for the worst. Silently, she prayed to Azar for her friends. She knew their type, they would never give up, especially not while she was there and in danger. Dammit, if only there was _something_ she could do! Slowly, using only her good arm, she used the base of the statue to drag herself up until she was standing shakily.

The Headmaster rose to his feet once more, his eyes glowing and a snarl escaping his bleeding lips. A second later, and the three of them came together once again, a blur of limbs, fists, feet, and claws.

She raised her good hand before her and tried to concentrate enough to use her power. Gradually, a small aura of blackness formed around her limb. It was so _hard_ , and her head throbbed painfully just trying to maintain even that. Still, she was determined to help them; she wouldn't let them face that monster alone.

"Baku Chaiten Kechu!" The shout was quickly followed by the sound of shattering wood. She looked up to see the form of the Headmaster vanish from directly between the two boys, unfortunately leaving Ranma directly in the path of the shrapnel.

Her eyes widened further, instead of covering his face to protect himself, Ranma shouted. " _Down_!"

Suddenly, the boy's arms disappeared into an indiscernible blur, even as Ryouga began to drop to the roof. Instantly, all the wooden debris vanished from the air and was fired out in a rapid machine gun fashion. Once again, the Headmaster appeared remarkably close to the path that Ranma had begun throwing the wooden fragments. This time though, Brother Blood was ready, a crimson shield deflecting the fragments harmlessly.

She shook her head in disbelief, how did the boy keep guessing where the psychic would reappear? It was amazing, just how skilled these two were. Even now, beaten, and exhausted, they continued to innovate and battle against such a deadly opponent.

Raven tore her eyes away from the battle again, concentrating on the dark aura around her hand. Slowly she reached out towards the grey-haired villain, willing her power to hold him, if only for a second. Her ebony telekinesis shot out like a viper... for about three feet before it disintegrated to nothing. A rare curse escaped her lips. She felt so _useless_!

She wanted to help them! She wanted to help _Ryouga_! It was all her fault that he was here now, fighting for his very life. If she had never fallen into his arms, so long ago, then _none_ of this would have ever happened. He wouldn't have followed her to the fight with Cinderblock. He wouldn't have battled Jinx in the valley. He wouldn't have been captured and brainwashed by that monster of a man.

How could it have come to this? Her friends down below, in mortal danger. Herself, likely mortally wounded. Ahead of her, the pigtailed youth that had done so very much to help her, fighting a losing battle. And... and Ryouga…

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the tears that she could feel struggling to be free. She remembered sitting under the night sky, him by her side, smiling, laughing. Everything seemed so simple, so perfect then. She knew it was a foolish hope, to think that she could possibly risk letting herself feel that way about anyone... but for those short days, it was so easy to forget.

The dark Titan had no idea how he had done it, but in that short time, he had made her feel... almost _normal_. She had never felt that way around _anyone_ before, not even her equally strange friends. But compared to the directionless boy and his wild stories of his friends... she hadn't felt so out of place.

She also couldn't believe how she had lost him to _Jinx_ , of all the girls in the world. She allowed a moment of jealous regret to course through her system, before crushing it down. It was for the best after all, though that did little to console her at that moment. If only... if only things had gone _differently_ -

"If I can't kill you, then I'll kill your _friend_!" came a hateful shout from somewhere in the distance.

A strange sound filled the air, a sort of sizzling hiss, as the entire night's sky lit up with a scarlet light. Whatever could that be?

Her thoughts were derailed as a figure dropped from the sky to land right before her. The remains of the yellow shirt gave away who it was instantly. She was about to ask what he was doing, when the boy stood straight and spread his arms out to his sides, his back to her.

"Raven! Get _do-aaagghhhhh_!" Ryouga's frantic warning dissolved into a heart wrenching wail of agony.

The boy's entire body shook with the impact of the attack he’d just blocked with his body. On instinct, she dropped down, and it saved her life; a second later a narrow beam of crimson death lanced straight through Ryouga's back, just a few inches below his rib cage. It burned within a centimeter of her face, blinding her right eye, and blasting several follicles to ash.

This time tears did flow; Ryouga's body hung motionless for several eternal moments, almost as if the lance of light itself was holding him up. But then the attack subsided, and like a leaf in the fall, he slowly collapsed back towards her. She desperately reached out with her right arm and pulled him to her chest to stop him from slipping from the roof. His weight crushed her heavily against the base of the statue and she felt her ribs grind painfully together, but she couldn’t be bothered to care.

A cry of despair escaped her lips as the Lost Boy's body settled into the gentle curves of her own. She could feel his blood mingling with hers as it drained from his body.

Three shouts tore the air.

" _Ryouga_!" her voice tore with anguish.

" _Ryouga_!" Ranma's pained voice mirrored her own.

" _Revenge_!" Brother Blood crowed in victory.

She didn’t care what happened after that, she gently lowered herself until she was sitting on the roof, Ryouga lying silently in her lap. Desperately, she ran her delicate fingers across his throat, praying to Azar to find a pulse.

"Ryouga – Ryouga, _please don't die_!" she cried.

In the distance, she heard Ranma howl in rage and pain. Seconds later the sounds of combat ensued in force. She didn't even bother to look up; the boy in her arms drew all her attention. She still couldn't find a pulse... her head dropped until it rested in the nook of his shoulder.

"Azar, please don't take him..." she whispered hoarsely. "You _idiot_ , why would you do that for _me_? You don't love me, _why_ would you do that?" Her tears soaked into the tattered remains of the boy's shirt as she cried into his shoulder.

"It-it's a martial ar... artists duty to protect *cough* pretty g-girls," the raspy voice was followed by a weak chuckle.

She looked up, her eyes wide with shock. Staring back into her were a pair of dark, soulful eyes. "Besides, whoever said t-that I don – don't _care_ for... you?"

Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, as she stared incredulously at the boy in her arms. "You – You're _alive_!" she cried in relief.

The boy's pained smile died a bit at that, and he let out a pained gasp.

"That may only be a... a temporary condition. I hate... I hate to _admit it_ , but I don't th-think we can win against him," stated the injured martial artist. "He's just to-too damn _fast_ for us... like this."

She cursed her weakness once again, if only there was something she... could... do? Of course! A second later, she nodded to herself, having come to a decision.

"Ryouga, can you get up?" she asked seriously. He looked back at her for a second, confusion on his features.

"What? A-are you trying to sa-ay I need a diet?" he chuckled again, losing a bit of blood in the process. She sighed in frustration at his poor sense of humor. With all the strength left in her right arm, she started pushing the boy up.

"You're obviously healthy enough to make _bad_ jokes, now get the _hell up_ and go help Ranma!" she ordered. He slowly rose to his feet, gingerly holding a hand to cover the wound in his stomach. He looked back at her in confusion again, almost as if he didn't understand the point of marking back into a hopeless battle.

She just nodded and pointed to Ranma and the Headmaster in the distance. "Go, I'll take care of the rest."

With one last lingering look, he finally nodded and turned to join the battle. After several shaky steps, he built up speed and was once again running back across the church to go aid his friend.

At that, she let out a sigh of relief. As carefully as she could, she pulled her legs in and crossed them so that she was sitting in the lotus position. For a moment, she wished she had the power to levitate, as sitting on the peak of a roof was _most_ uncomfortable. Pushing her posterior discomfort aside, she took a slow, calming breath and stared at the battle before her. Slowly she let the air flow out of her lungs, before drawing in another long calming breath. She repeated this several times as she watched the battle continue, until she finally regained her center.

She certainly hoped that those two boys would be able to do what needed to be done. Raven took one last breath.

" _Azerath Metrion Zinthos_!"

* * *

One last blast of psychic energy sent the troublesome pigtailed boy soaring through the air. A massive ‘ _clong’_ shattered the night, as the boy's rag dolling body rebounded off the churches bell with enough force to dent it. A moment later, the crippled martial artist dropped to lie beside the crumpled form of his foolish friend. Brother Blood smiled again, absently wiping the trail of blood from his cheek. Amazingly, both boys were still conscious, though it seemed to be all they could do just to keep their eyes open at this point.

"And so, it ends!" he cried in ecstasy. He raised his right hand, gathering his power for the coup de grace. "I must admit, the two of you put up an admirable struggle, truly a noble effort. It is unfortunate, that all good things... must come to an end."

His hand rose above his head, the crimson energy forming into a massive sphere of destruction. He allowed it to linger for a moment, savoring the pain on the faces of his victims as they struggled to regain their feet. Truly, there was nothing more _breathtaking_ than watching the last, desperate moments of a hero's life; the endless determination, the refusal to give in no matter what. He could slaughter an entire city of people, and it would not fill him with _half_ the joy that he was feeling right then, holding the life of these two noble fools in his hand.

The roof shuddered beneath his feet and, if anything, his joy magnified. The self destruct had finally begun! That meant that an entire _slew_ of heroes was perishing right beneath his feet. What more perfect victory could he ever hope to achieve? It was costly, but he had never felt so _alive_ as he did this moment.

The red orb of his hatred swelled once more; he watched in amusement as Ryouga tried to form an energy blast before a pair of tightly crossed arms.

It was time to end this; it was time for these boys to _di_ -

" _Azerath Metrion Zinthos_!"

The cry nearly disrupted his concentration. How could he have _forgotten her_? He spun, just in time to see the ebony silhouette of Raven soaring through the air towards him. He tried to move, to do anything, but the power of his own monstrous attack held him in place more firmly than any shackle.

The aged villain could only watch in disbelief, as the sleek shadow slid through the night sky, could only stare as he watched his perfect victory begin to crumble around him.

Then the shadowy hand of the girl touched his mind...

And his world became _chaos_.

* * *

Ranma stared in shock at the spectacle before him. A moment ago, the Headmaster had been prepared to kill them both where they stood. The power of the attack that the old man had gathered had been nothing short of horrifying. There would have been no way for them to avoid it, either. He was sure that at least half of his ribs had shattered in that last attack, and only one of his arms was working right now. Beside him, Ryouga was forming a Shi Shi Houkodan, but it seemed woefully tiny compared to the massive crimson orb that loomed above them.

Then, suddenly, the Headmaster seemed to lose interest in them! He just... just _turned around_ and looked away, right on the verge of destroying them both!

Then, against all reason and logic, the deadly sphere of energy above them... _popped_ , like a soap bubble. The Saotome heir could only watch in disbelief as the old man clutched his skull in pain and started to stagger back and forth, as if drunk. Beside him, Ryouga's own attack disappeared in a puff as the boy stared in confusion.

The crazed villain began to shout strange, half formed sentences but, something wasn't right, his voice seemed to be... _off_.

"W-what on Earth is hap-happening?" his friend asked uncertainly.

He didn't have an answer to give though, it made no sense. He moved forward a step, curious as to what was happening, but jumped back when the Headmaster turned to face them abruptly. If the pigtailed boy had been shocked before, well, words failed to describe what he was feeling now.

The Headmaster stared back at them, hate etched on his features but his _eyes_... his eyes had become soft violet orbs that shone with pain and sadness.

"What the fu-"

"Ryouga! Ranma! You have to – have to finish him _now_! I-I can't hold him for long!" Raven's feminine voice flowed from the Headmaster's lips, and Ranma felt his stomach twist and a long shudder run up his spine.

Said Lost Boy jumped up, despite his injuries. " _Raven_! What are you doing?"

The Headmaster's eyes flashed red for a moment and the man staggered again, clutching his skull. Ranma prepared to... well he wasn't sure _what_ he would do if the man attacked, but then the man blinked and again his eyes were replaced with the familiar violet orbs.

"Just _do it_! There's no time!" demanded the girl's voice emanating from the Headmaster.

The pigtailed martial artist stared at his friend, at a loss for what to do for the first time he could remember. "What... what the _hell_ do we do, Ryouga?"

Ryouga just stared at the figure before them, emotions flashing through his eyes faster than Ranma could read them. Then, the Lost Boy came to a decision, and his eyes hardened to diamond, his fists clenching in anger. The fanged warrior turned to stare him in the eye.

"We do what she says," he stated simply. He then began to walk forward, towards the Headmaster.

Ranma sputtered incoherently for a second, before rushing forward and grabbing the boy's shoulder. "Are you _stupid_? We can't attack him now, Raven is in there, we'll hurt her _too_!" he shouted into his grim companion's face.

Ryouga stared back at him impassively. "Ranma. If we don't finish this _now_ , then that bastard will kill us all. Raven _knows_ what she's doing! It's better that we risk hurting her, rather than let the Headmaster kill her for sure."

" _Bullshit_! You're just obsessed with your revenge! You've always been like that! There _has_ to be another way, we can't hurt her, she's our _friend_!" he cried again, trying to appeal to his friend.

Ryouga stared at him for another eternal moment, slowly his eyes softened, and tears began to flow down his cheeks. "She's m-more than a friend to m-me," the boy choked out, barely repressing sobs. "But there's no other way."

An emerald aura slowly formed around his rival, as the pain that was tearing him apart began to manifest itself physically. Ryouga placed his hand on Ranma's shoulder, completing the circle. "You know what we have to do. It's the only was to beat him in one attack.”

Ranma stared for what felt like forever, until finally he relented. "You're right ... but, but there's no way that I can use the _Mouko Takabisha_ now," he admitted shamefully.

The Lost Boy just nodded in understanding. "Then don't use it."

With that, the boy turned and _leapt_ over the Headmaster's conflicted form. He landed on the far side of the possessed villain and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

The Saotome boy could feel tears staining his own cheeks and dashed them angrily. Boys don't cry! Slowly, he dropped into a mirror of the Lost Boy's stance, and crossed his good arm tightly across his chest, his other arm hanging useless at his side.

Don't use the _Mouko Takabisha_ eh? He didn't have the ki left to do his signature move anyway. And frankly, considering what he was contemplating, he had no confidence in himself anymore. But if not that, then what? The answer was obvious, of course; he watched Ryouga, a concentrated sphere of emerald energy forming before the boy.

Ranma might have been drained of every drop of his light, confident ki, but Ryouga seemed to bottomless supply of heavy, depressive ki. All he had to do was dip... in... to... _that_.

Images flashed through his mind: Akane, abandoned in the combat room as it erupted around her, Shampoo and Ukyou in the clutches of the Headmaster. Raven, Ryouga, all his friends and family, sprawled at the feet of that villainous bastard!

Suddenly, as if he had tapped some unknown spring, he felt a new power surge through him. It filled his veins like lead, poisoned his thoughts with doubt and hopelessness, and then settled into his stomach like some moss ridden stone. It offended him, nearly sickened him, running counter to everything that he considered to be... him.

Rather than deny it, he grabbed this dark, heavy power and wrestled it to his will. He forced the syrupy ki to flow up his chest and through his arms; he willed the abrasive energy to coalesce into a vitriolic sphere before him. He opened his eyes and stared in disgust at the sickly yellowish/greenish color that his spirit had taken.

He looked back across the roof, to see Ryouga watching him. After a moment, the boy nodded. It was all the signal he needed.

_" **Shi Shi Houkodan**!"_

_" **Shi Shi Houkodan**!"_

He pushed with all the strength in his arm, and the manifestation of his pain tore though the air with a power that dwarfed _any_ previous attempt he’d made at the technique.

The twin spheres, one azure, the other golden, both tainted with emerald, rocketed toward their target. The air wailed like the damned at their passage and the roof tore itself to shreds as the massive power of the attacks lashed out angrily at anything within range.

The two Roaring Lion Bullets met in an apocalyptic explosion; the Headmaster's fragile body being crushed between the clashing egos. Ranma had to shield his eyes from the glare and it was all he could do to retain his footing, as the shockwave nearly sent him flying from the roof himself. The echoes of the blast rang in his ears for several moments after the smoke finally cleared.

There, in the middle of the blast zone, stood the Headmaster; the roof below him was little more than the main beam and several smoking planks. The old man's body hung in midair for a lengthy moment, then a black shadow suddenly flew from his forehead, and the old man collapsed to the roof in a heap.

Ranma did the first thing that came to his mind as soon as he saw the man collapse. He began running to the crumpled form of the Titan that had saved them.

"Raven!"

* * *

Ryouga stared at the fallen form of the Headmaster, of Brother Blood. A sense of grim satisfaction coursed through his veins at the sight. There was only one thing left to do.

He watched as Ranma ran past him, rushing to check on Raven. He was glad of that; he knew that Ranma would take care of her. Better care than _he_ could have ever hoped to. He waited until the pigtailed boy had made it several steps past him, before he started his own movement.

One foot before the other, he stalked towards the collapsed form of the villain. Slowly he drew his belt from his pant loops and let it hang in the air for a moment. Another step, like a nail in a coffin, took him closer to his victim. The Headmaster would never hurt anyone again. With a flick of his wrist, his belt transformed into an instrument of justice. He chuckled mirthlessly to himself, this situation felt familiar.

A weak cough drew his attention to the villain's face. Feebly, the old man's eyes opened, and he looked up, to see Ryouga standing over him, belt sword in hand. "It's over, old man. I'll never forgive you for hurting my friends," he whispered in a stony voice.

A bloody smile stretched the skin on the Headmaster's face, like a grinning skull. "Nor *cough* nor should you. I m-meant to kill you. It is only... fitting that you d-do the same."

Ryouga hesitated at that for a moment, but then nodded seriously. He raised his belt sword high above his head. He gazed into the Headmaster's eyes for one last second.

"Headmaster, prepare to die," he uttered. Then, without another word, his weapon arced through the air.

Only to be stopped, mere inches from its target, by a powerful hand grasping his wrist.

He looked to the side, to see Ranma holding his arm, a disappointed look on his face. Clinging to the Saotome boy's side, her good arm wrapped around his neck, was Raven. A look of utter sadness covered her lovely face. Unable to face their gazes, he turned away angrily and pulled his arm from his friend’s hold.

"What are you two doing?" he asked quietly. He _needed_ this; he needed to punish this monster. The Headmaster, he had taken _everything_ from him, Ryouga needed to make him pay; make him pay for stealing Jinx from him. Absently, he felt his aura begin to grow around him, without him even thinking about it.

"Don't do it, man, you're _better_ than that, better than _him_. You ain't a _murderer_!" Ranma barked. Ryouga spun to face him, snarling angrily.

"How do you know that? I _am_ a monster! Look at what I did to Raven! That wasn't mind control, that was me! I _need_ to do this Ranma, he needs to pay for what he did to me!" he cried in anguish.

"You're _not_ a monster, Ryouga," Raven's quiet voice cut through his tirade. "You were just protecting Jinx, the - the girl you... love." Her voice had a regretful undertone to it, one that made Ryouga feel just that much worse.

"Oh, but you _are_ a monster, Mr. Hibiki. Did you know that th-the young Miss Raven there *cough* thinks you remind her of her father? You know all... about her _father_ , don't you, Mr. H-Hibiki?" wheezed the old man, cackling sadistically.

Ryouga reeled at that; he spun to look at Raven, self loathing twisting his soul. The dark girl couldn't even match his gaze, looking away sadly.

"How the hell did you know that you old bastard?" spat Ranma. Instantly the boy slapped a hand over his mouth and stared in his direction.

The Lost Boy clutched his chest... maybe, maybe the _Headmaster_ had been lying, but to hear _Ranma_ confirm it. He felt his aura begin to swell again, becoming visible to the naked eye.

"One does tend to learn a few things... when som- when someone _invades_ their mind," taunted the Headmaster. The grey-haired villain then turned back to face him, staring into his eyes with an unnatural intensity.

"Ryouga! Do it! _Slay_ the monster! How can you hold back after all I've done?" The Headmaster's words grew in strength as he continued to urge him on. "All of your friends below are dead! Everything you know is a _lie_!" Suddenly the man's rant died off, his eyes narrowing evilly.

"Jinx _never_ really loved you. I _forced_ her to love you, just like I forced you to do the same," whispered the vile criminal.

" _Nooooo_!" Ryouga howled in denial. He grabbed the old bastard and hoisted him into the air, pulling his sword back to finish the job. "You're _lying_! I won't let you defame her feelings!"

" _Ryouga, don't do it!" "Stop it now!"_

His friends yelled desperately and tried to pull him back from the old man. Ranma wrapped himself around his arm, even as Raven pressed herself to his back and encircled his torso with her good arm. He restrained himself from tossing them to the side, even as tired and weak as he was, he was still stronger than the two of them together, but he didn't want to hurt _them_ , just the Headmaster!

"Ranma, let go! I won't let him lie about Jinx like that!" he bellowed, shaking the old man in his hand forcefully. Brother Blood laughed maniacally, mocking all of them.

"Who says that I'm lying, boy? I was honest about Raven's feelings, your own friend even confirmed it!" chortled the villain.

Again, Ryouga shook the bastard, trying to stop the stream of lies that poured from his mouth, but-but he _hadn't_ lied about Raven... had he? The strength flowed from him as that realization entered his mind. He lost even the strength to hold the man up, dropping him heavily to the wood once more. Moments later, Raven and Ranma pulled him back from the villain.

The two of them were speaking to him, but he couldn't make out their words, it was all coming at him too fast. A dull ache in his hand drew his attention; he lifted the offending limb to inspect it. Somehow, his own blade had cut deeply into his palm, he – he must have been holding it too tight.

Without a further thought, he let the piece of fabric slip from his fingers. As soon as it left his grasp, it flopped to the ground, very much like any other piece of blood-soaked cloth would in its place. Nothing mattered anymore... his friends’ incomprehensible chatter, the Headmaster's mocking laughter, the dull ache from his abdomen, it was all meaningless.

Jinx hadn't loved him? She had only been manipulated, just like he had? It was a _lie_ , it _had_ to be! He had seen the look in her eyes when they had parted ways. But... but he thought _he_ loved her, didn't he? Was it impossible that Jinx would think the same if she were brainwashed?

Had it all _really_ been a lie? He knew that _practically_ everything had been a lie, but that one shining feeling had felt so real. Jinx's love had kept him sane, even when everything was falling apart around him.

But if that had been a lie too... then there really wasn't anything left to him. If the Headmaster was telling the truth, then he had taken _everything_ that mattered to him and _despoiled_ it. What was even the point of revenge now? What would it give him? It wouldn't bring Jinx back; it wouldn't change anything.

...Huh?

His line of thought was derailed, as he felt something tugging at his ankle. Curious, he looked down, and stared in wonder at what he saw.

"-ouga! For God's sake, _stop it!"_ Ranma cried from where he was lying on the roof beside Ryouga's feet. One of Ranma's hands was clutching the bottom of Ryouga's pant leg and pulling harshly. Now what on earth was Ranma doing laying down at a time like this? It almost looked like he was being... crushed down?

He shook his head to regain his bearings. All around him, Raven, Ranma and Brother Blood were all being pressed down into the wood of the roof, as if by a great weight. It didn't take a great leap of logic to deduce what said weight was, as he noticed his aura flaring to life even more powerfully than before. The massive oaken beams were beginning to groan and creak in protest to the increasing load they were being asked to bear.

"Ah _hell_!" he cursed loudly. He tried to reign in his ki, tried to get it back under control... but it was _no good_! His depression was spiraling out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it!

"Ryouga! Snap out of it!" Ranma's plaintive cry reached his ears again. He looked down again, resignation filling his eyes as he looked down at his rival... which only made his situation worse.

"I _can't_! I'm too far gone!" He took a step forward, towards the front of the church, perhaps if he got far enough away, then his friends would be able to get up and escape. "Ranma! Get her out of here! I'll try to hold it off as long as I can!"

He then continued his long trek, though in reality his goal was only thirty feet away. It was a battle just to move his foot a single step. Without much care, he stepped over the unresponsive body of the Headmaster, and continued onto the remains of the steeple. After what felt like the longest ten feet that he had ever walked, he looked back.

Ranma was already lifting Raven up and dragging her forward, towards him. His rival's eyes were filled with that foolish, noble determination that always seemed to get the boy into trouble. He swore, if Ranma was still trying to save him… He looked down to Raven. Her eyes held nearly the same look as Ranma's.

Damn _heroes_!

The idea that they would willingly get themselves killed trying to help him... made him feel even _worse_! He struggled to make it to the front of the church before the roof gave way and he fell to his death.

"Dammit, Ranma! Get the hell out of here, or I'll kill you _myself_!" he bellowed. He then looked down to Raven again. "Raven! You have to get him out of here, don't worry, I'll be all right!"

If they heard him, they didn't show it. Instead they kept up their determined crawl. He growled in anger, if they wouldn't listen to reason, then he would force them! Just when they reached the Headmaster's body themselves, he focused on increasing the crushing weight of his aura, pinning them in place.

"I swear to God, Ranma! If you don't leave now, you are going _to die_!" He stared into his friend’s gazes, willing them to listen with every fiber of his being. The entire roof of the church was lit up with the aurora borealis that was his spiritual energy. The scintillating colors played over the faces of his friends as they continued to stare at him.

Finally, finally Raven relented; the girl looked down and away, unable to keep his gaze. As if sensing her decision, Ranma looked back to Raven, a look of outrage blooming on his face as he turned to face her. It looked like he was just about to yell at the poor girl-

When all three of them vanished in a bubble of ebony darkness.

As soon as they vanished, the self-destructing boy sighed in relief. A few more lead-like steps finally brought him to rest on the stone foundation of the church's bell tower. He took the time to appreciate his new view, even as his ki continued to spiral out of control. After that, he took a deep breath and brought his entire will to the purpose of holding in his emotional outburst, at least long enough for his two remaining friends to escape. He only really had one more thing to say.

"Jinx, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, in spite of everything that's happened, in spite of _whatever_ the Headmaster said..." he whispered quietly, the closest he had ever come to speaking a prayer.

"I'll miss you."

* * *

The interior of the once proud church lit up dramatically, as if the flames of hell were pouring out of the tiny portal that the elevator provided. The entire structure shook, all the remaining windows blew out; then, for a moment, the entire building was filled with the closest thing to stellar plasma. Miraculously the building still stood, though much of the stonework around the base was glowing with molten heat and most of the roof was going up in flames.

"Damn! I'm glad we weren't in _there_!" exclaimed Beast Boy at his side.

Robin looked over to his emerald teammate and dropped a hand on the boy's shoulder. Slowly he shook his head, still amazed by what had taken place only moments earlier. "Beast Boy, that had to be _the_ most death defying and utterly amazing escape that we have _ever_ made!" he congratulated his friend.

His praise was soon joined, as various males cheered the emerald teen on, and a few (quite attractive) females planted some rather appreciative kisses on the boy's cheeks. In the back, Cologne watched on, nearly preening with pride herself.

Beast Boy just kicked a toe in the dirt and waved his hand dismissively. "What? _Naaaw_! It was nothing really. I mean, it was a piece of cake once I realized that -"

The rest of the changeling's explanation was cut off, when suddenly a bubble of black energy rose from the ground in their midst and burst open revealing three forms within it. The entire street was filled with gasps of shock, as a kneeling Ranma appeared, holding Raven in his arms and an unconscious Headmaster laid out at their feet.

Almost as soon as they appeared, Raven's eyes closed and she collapsed completely into Ranma's grip, obviously joining the Headmaster in unconsciousness. A moment after that, and the crowd burst into chaos. Half of the people were cheering the defeat of their enemy and the recovery of their friends. Half of the people were concerned about the injuries that their two friends had obviously endured. And another half were cheering their friends on the injuries they had received... well actually only Mousse and Kunou were doing that for Ranma, but it's the thought that counts.

Robin was about to walk up and offer Ranma his personal thanks for helping them defeat such a dangerous opponent, when the crazed boy started shaking the injured Raven!

"Raven, wake up! You gotta take us _back_!" he shouted at the unconscious girl.

Everyone stared in shock at the boy's outburst, but Robin would have none of it. He ran forward and slugged Ranma for all he was worth, knocking the boy away and pulling Raven to safely.

"Are you _crazy_? Raven is hurt and you're shaking her like that!" he cried in anger. A second later, he felt his friends at his back, also glaring at the pigtailed boy.

Ranma staggered to his feet, shrugging off the help that his fiancées tried to give him. "She's not that hurt! She healed herself in the church awhile ago! She needs to take me back to the roof, we gotta get Ryouga!" he yelled in reply.

Robin's eye mask narrowed at that. "You idiot! Raven _can't_ heal herself!" He took an instant to examine his friend, and what he saw horrified him. "My god! She's bleeding internally and you were _shaking_ her? What the hell is so important about getting Ryouga off the roof? The Headmaster is defeated; he's not in any danger. You can walk up yourself later!" he barked out furiously.

The master martial artist was still reeling from the revelation that Raven had tricked him earlier. A look of shame and anger covered the boy's face, but only for a moment. Quickly he shook it off and staggered forward, poking an angry finger into Robin's chest.

"You don't get it! Ryouga isn't _in_ danger, Ryouga _is_ the damn danger!" With a dramatic wave of his arm, the pigtailed boy indicated the very tip of the church’s face...

To the massive emerald beacon that was lighting up most of the sky above them.

"Holy Hell! How the heck'd we miss _that_ **!"** cried Cyborg beside him.

Ranma pressed on. "If we don't knock Ryouga out, he's gonna let out a Perfect Shi Shi Houkodan that'll blow us all to heck!"

Robin had no idea what a Perfect Shi Shi Houkodan was, but even he didn't like the look of that energy build up on the top of the church. He was about to order Starfire to carry him up to investigate-

When the entire mass of energy imploded on itself.

Beast Boy wiped a hand across his brow. "Sheesh, you guys had me worried for a seco... _Hoooly Mother of **Buddha**_!"

The shape shifters cry of relief turned into a cry of shock, as a massive column of green energy erupted from the roof of the church like some kind of ... like some kind of ... _damn_ , it was just a huge column of energy! The beam lanced up, up into the clouds. For just a second, he hoped that that might be the worst of it, but judging by the look on Ranma's face, it was just beginning.

Cologne pogoed forward to join them, a resigned look on her face.

"Goddess protect us all, it's too late."

* * *

" _X'hal_ ," whispered the Tamaranean in awe. Never had she imagined it possible for any person to possess such raw power! It hardly seemed sane; it was like watching a Gordanian battle cruiser firing its particle cannon into the sky. She had suffered the full brunt of Ryouga's Roaring Lion Bullets before, but those had been _nothing_ compared what she now witnessed.

Green tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried for her stolen friend. Like hers, his powers were based on his emotions, but for him to unleash _such_ a blast... Could so much grief truly reside within one spirit?

All around her, her comrades stared in shock at the tower of manifested pain. None of them had witnessed his ki attack before, let alone _this_ version of it. She did not blame them for their disbelief. Even Ryouga's own friends watched on in disbelief, Shampoo, Ukyou, Mousse and Kunou all stared in horror. Apparently, they all knew what was about to come. Akane, the poor girl, tears streamed down her cheeks, even as she tightly clutched the sister with whom she had so recently been reunited.

A loud finger snap drew her attention away from the spectacle above them. "That's it! If I can get up there, I can use the _Hiryua Shoten Ha_! I bet it would tear that thing up like nothing!" exclaimed Ranma.

His excitement was killed when Cologne hopped forward, a stern look in her eyes. "Fool boy! You know that won't work! Ryouga is filled with depression, not anger; his ki is as cold as the grave."

Ranma looked back at the old woman, considering her point for a moment. A second later, his eyes lit up once more and he snapped his fingers again. "Ha! I can't do it myself, but the two of us _together_ could do it! If we did a spiral around him, one of us going hot, the other cold, we could jump start a _Hiryua Shoten Ha_!"

Even the old woman looked surprised by that idea for a moment, before looking down once more. "Impossible, we would never get there in time. Besides, after all the battles we have just faced, neither of us has the power left to produce a sufficiently hot aura to create a strong enough tornado for our purposes," lamented Cologne.

The pigtailed boy seemed to collapse in on himself at that. It seemed that even his limitless ability to innovate was proving insufficient to this cause.

A light suddenly went off in Starfire's head! She rushed forward and grabbed Ranma's hand.

"I can _do_ this! Let us depart with great haste!" she cheered excitedly. She felt so proud of herself, having thought of something that no one else had. Ranma looked at her in confusion for a moment, but then Cologne cackled out loud.

"Of course! Starfire is the only other person here that knows the _Hiryua Shoten Ha_ , and her alien metabolism grants her a nearly endless wellspring of hot energy!"

Ranma's look jumped straight from confusion to disbelief. "What? **_You_** know the _Hiryua Shoten Ha- **aaaaa**!"_

The pigtailed boy's question dissolved into a scream, as she ignored his inquiry and simply pulled him into the air with all the speed which she could muster. They did not possess the time to argue about this! A second later, and they were floating only a few feet from the remains of the structure which had once held the churches bell. Even now, the heavy metal device was nowhere in sight, likely still riding the column of energy into the sky.

Ranma grabbed her shoulder and pulled himself up so his mouth was next to her ear. He was still forced to yell to be heard over the unearthly roar of the energy beam at their current proximity.

_"The column is gonna vanish soon! We're only going to have a few seconds to do this, so listen carefully!"_

She nodded, as she listened to the plan which Ranma explained. It seemed, _unorthodox_ , but it could work. If it did not, well, she would not exactly be around to complain about it.

The two of them floated there for a moment that seemed to last forever, watching the column of green energy travel up and through the clouds above them. She absently reflected upon how like her own energy it looked in this state. Beside her, she could see Ranma mumbling something to himself; she could see his lips moving but could not hear his words.

After a short eternity, it finally ended. Without warning, the bottom of the column shot up into the sky as well, revealing the standing figure of Ryouga, the boy whom she had once considered to be like a brother to her. She watched curiously, as the boy's head drooped, his eyes empty of any emotion at all, he just... stood there.

Any further contemplation was cut off. "Starfire! Do it _now_!"

She nodded fiercely and flew directly over Ryouga's head, hovering above him only six feet or so. Quickly, Ranma and her clasped each other's right wrists and leaned back. At the same time, he locked his ankles around hers, so that their bodies formed an unusual V.

"Now! Start spinning, and whatever you do, don't look **_up_**!"

Once again, she nodded and began to rotate in the air; she used her companion's weight to counterbalance her own, allowing them to hold their place and spin directly above Ryouga's unsuspecting head like a human centrifuge.

As soon as they began spinning successfully, they both held out their free arms and began to generate as much power as possible. An emerald star bolt formed around her left hand almost immediately and began to grow as she fed more power into it. Across from her, she watched as Ranma's hand began to glow a misty blue color, the air around it starting to crystallize for a single second, before her flaming fist flew through the very same air and melted it.

Something drew her attention up for a moment. She looked to the clouds above them, something... _odd_ was happening. The entire cloud bank above them was beginning to rotate around the area that Ryouga's column of energy had just passed through, except, it _couldn't_ have been from their efforts, since its rotation was counter to theirs.

Her curiosity piqued, then died a horrible death, as the clouds above them lit with a massive internal green light. This lasted for another second, before the clouds parted, revealing a sphere of emerald energy large enough to play cousin to the moon it just eclipsed.

"By **_X'hal_**!" she cried out in shock. Suddenly she felt quite the fool indeed, spinning like some foolish human ballerina, as if this ridiculous dance had any hope of stopping the falling juggernaut of destruction above them.

"Don't look up!" The shout brought her back to the moment. She realized that she had almost released her grip on her companion in the seconds that she had been mesmerized by the sphere that was falling to destroy them all.

She looked to the boy holding her hand, her fear showing upon her face as clear as the sun. He looked back, his face a grim mask.

"Don't think about that! Just concentrate on the spiral, that's _all that matters_!" ordered the boy. She watched as he grimaced painfully, the aura around his fist growing in intensity, in fact, even her hand that was holding his was beginning to feel uncomfortably cold.

She nodded one final time and turned her attention back to her own task. She concentrated on anything that had ever angered her in her entire life. Her sister, Slade, the Gordanians, that time that Beast Boy had hit her in the face with a satchel of _motor oil_!

The Star bolt surrounding her left hand continued to grow in intensity, even the chill from Ranma's hand dissipated to nothing. Their rotation continued to increase in speed as well. She shivered uncontrollably, as the icy aura left in Ranma's wake washed over her face, just as her companion was sweating uncomfortably as he trailed within the fiery tail of her Star bolt. The entire effect was becoming kaleidoscopic, green, and blue nearly merging into one as their speed continued to increase.

The Tamaranean began to feel her stomach twist uncomfortably. She forced it down as harshly as she could, now would be a _most_ inappropriate time to do _that_! She tried to take her mind off her turning stomach by looking up, only to see the massive sphere of emerald light plummeting towards them, so much closer than before! A high pitch squeak escaped her throat, and she squeezed her eyes shut, focusing even harder on channeling her power into her fist. She wished she knew when it would be rea-

_Now_! Without so much as a sign from the far more experienced martial artist, she felt it within every cell of her body. All at once, the air pressure dropped drastically, causing her ears to pop. She didn't even look to her partner to see what he was doing, she simply trusted in his ability.

This time, she looked back to the sphere above her, defiance in her eyes. She could feel the power surrounding them now, and it filled her with hope. With one last surge of power, she raised her clenched fist to the sky, twisting it just so; as if striking out at the mammoth ball of power directly, her voice rang clear across the heavens, mirrored by another.

_" **Flying Dragon Ascends to the Heavens Blow**!"_

_" **Hiryua Shoten Haaaaaaa!** "_

All at once, the world around them transformed into a titanic serpent of living wind. Their creation howled like a thousand Portkins, signaling its birth for all to hear. The massive twisting column of air then swelled and surged upwards, hungrily rising to meet the comet of ki that descended towards them.

Desperately, she tried to slow their spin, but the cyclone around them seemed to be offended by the notion of it. With all her tremendous strength, she tried to pull Ranma closer to her, to reduce the centrifugal force, but it was so extremely hard. Her efforts were not helped at all by the fact that the boy was urgently trying to reach down below them, to the still motionless form of Ryouga. So perfectly positioned in the eye of the tornado, the fanged boy's hair was barely even disturbed by the heaven rending attack that surrounded them on all sides.

The alien princess tried to help her friend, lowering them closer to the emotionally drained boy. She watched as Ranma's hand closed in on the Lost Boy's form, considering the speed that they were rotating at, it would be a most jarring rescue indeed, but considering the alternative...

They were _al... most... there..._

A random piece of igneous debris torn from the walls of the church, flew wildly through the air, striking them directly in their clasped hands! She cried in pain as she felt bones snap from the impact of the super accelerated piece of stone.

Instantly, she lost her grip on the boy, neither of them even had time scream before his legs disentangled from hers, and they were both launched from the sides of the tornado at ridiculous speeds.

The last thing she saw within the tornado was the hungry maw of the elemental dragon bite into the heart of the Perfect _Shi Shi Houkodan._

While Ryouga continued to look down, totally unawares.

* * *

Nabiki stared in horror at the last functioning view screen before her. All of the other screens were showing static, the two cameras below the surface had been destroyed in the explosion, the other three destroyed either in the preamble to the _Shi Shi Houkodan_ , or sucked up into the _Hiryua Shoten Ha_ those idiots created to destroy it. Only the camera situated furthest away survived, and what it showed terrified her, even miles away.

She zoomed in, just in time to see the top of the tornado contact the descending sphere of heavy ki. The mercenary queen barely even took notice of the two figures that were ejected near the base of the cyclone technique.

No, she had much more important things to watch. Where the tornado met the orb, a huge flash of light blinded the screen for a second, but when it returned, a breathtaking sight awaited her and her companions.

The entire bottom half of the massive ki blast began to corkscrew, as if being devoured by the tornado. Cheers went up from the people behind her. She smiled wryly, it seemed like even Saotome could have a good idea every once in awhile.

Suddenly, the wind funnel began to grow even faster, beginning to glow a sinister emerald hue. The smile slowly slid from her face, as the base of the tornado nearly doubled in size, and began to move down as well, encompassing nearly the whole church.

She heard Jinx gasp in shock behind her, as the massive stone structure began to tear itself apart, brick by brick, only to be drawn up into the man-made vortex.

"Ryouga is _still in there_!" the pink haired girl screamed in terror. Nabiki gasped as well at that, she had forgotten! She whipped back to the screen, to watch as the tornado continued to grow, feeding now on both the massive ki blast at its peak, and the massive stone structure at its base. She could see the tiny figures of her friends and family running for their lives, as the ancient Chinese secret went wild.

Almost in slow motion, she watched as the entire eastern wall shredded under the incredible force of the winds and get sucked up into the tornado. She shook her head sadly, they might have saved the city from Ryouga, but the collateral damage when this thing finally settled would be a _nightmare_.

Slowly she turned back to face Jinx.

"Jinx... I am _so_ sorry, I never meant for Ryouga to get hurt..." She looked up, expecting to see a world of hate and anger in the girl's eyes-

Only to find she was gone!

* * *

Everyone watched as the tornado finally destroyed the last of the _Shi Shi Houkodan_. The now monolithic tornado kept on going for nearly ten minutes, hungrily devouring every single brick of the once proud cathedral that lay at its base. No one was really keeping track of time, but somewhere along the line, Starfire rejoined them, as did Bumble Bee, a nearly unconscious martial artist in her arms.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the tornado finally began to die. First it slowed, losing the unearthly glow that seemed to sustain it. Then it began to narrow, losing its massive diameter rather quickly, until finally, the ponderously tall column of wind, no more than a foot around... broke apart completely and disintegrated.

Absently, they all watched as debris began to rain from the sky, thankfully most of it coming back down upon the ruins of the church and the hidden facility that used to lie beneath it. Nobly, Starfire and Bumble Bee flew off, to try to destroy any of the larger pieces of masonry that might land on any habituated areas.

As for the rest of them, all they could do was stare at the mountain of rubble that marked their victory, though to most of them, it looked much more like a massive grave marker.

Eventually, Robin took a step forward, the unconscious Brother Blood dragging in his grasp. Talking to no one in particular, he finally broke the silence that hung over them all like a pall.

"It's over... we've won a great victory here." He lifted the old villain a bit, before dropping him face first to the asphalt below. "We defeated a deadly villain, crushed an entire hive of villainy, and saved a number of innocent abductees." The Boy Wonder then turned to face the rest of the group, his eyes downcast. "So why doesn't it _feel_ like we won?" he asked rhetorically.

Everyone just stared at the suddenly small looking boy, many of them with tears staining their faces. Then Akane moved forward, past them all, to look at the massive tomb one last time. Tears streamed down her perfect face as she stared at the ground at her feet.

"... oh _Ryouga_..."


	23. The Lost Epilogue

I don't own Ranma or the Teen Titans

Enjoy if you will, Tolerate if you won't.

* * *

He howled in pain as another shard of debris hammered into his torso, traveling near the speed of sound. It was a strange sensation; he couldn't even hear the meager sound that his lungs produced against the deafening roar of the winds. The winds which carelessly tossed him about, hurtling him every which way but free. He had long since lost sense of where he was, he couldn't even remember which way was up.

A sharp impact to his shoulder sent him into a wild spin, only to crash into a massive wall that seemed to materialize from the blinding emerald glare that encompassed him. He could scarcely even gather the air to scream at that collision, the tornado itself greedily drawing the life-giving oxygen from his lungs. The wall shattered around him, already mightily abused by the cyclone, which left him floating in the heart of a tight spiral of sanctified shrapnel.

He couldn't remember how long he had been trapped; had no idea how this nonsensical torment had even come to be! All other thought was torn from his mind; the remains of the ancient building slammed into him, knocking him to and fro chaotically.

Tears formed, only long enough to be swept from his cheeks. The world began to darken at the edges of his vision, thankfully dulling the agony that was his existence…

Suddenly, his world lit up, stars dancing merrily across his vision, a searing pain flaring at the back of his skull. Even that was short lived; he gave meager thanks, as the new pain began to fade.

It all seemed so – so _empty_ ; had he really come all this way, fought so hard, just for it to end like this? Had he possessed the strength, he would have railed against his fate. He had too many people to beg forgiveness, too many pigtailed jerks to _beat_. It was a moot point, though, as the ruins slowly destroyed his body. Slowly, he let his eyes slide closed...

The last thing that he saw, amongst the floating timbers and soaring masonry that would soon end his pain forever...

Was a flash of _pink_?

* * *

He woke with a start. His eyes flashed open and he drew a sharp breath. For a moment, the world spun and danced, making him wonder if he’d only blacked out for a second in the eye of the storm. Eventually though, his senses returned to normal, and the room came into focus. Without even realizing, he released his death grip on the soft mattress beneath him, leaving a pair of rents in foam material.

Where – where on earth was he _now_? The room was well lit, and the sounds of voices flowed to him from every corner of the chamber. Sure, he was used to not knowing where he was, but such a drastic change in scenery was a bit unnerving, even for him. The room looked to be a sleek, greyish metal, large banks of overly bright lights hanging every few feet. Around several of the lights, ran long metal rails, one such rail running around the bed that held him. Long curtains hung from them, though none of the curtains were drawn closed now.

A low sigh escaped his lips; he had enough data to make a good guess where he was. He wasn't deeply knowledgeable of the modern world, but even he knew a hospital room when he saw one.

It sure was _noisy_ in here. His eyes slid down to take in the room around him. It was about then, that the meaningless mix of voices began to resolve themselves into recognizable speech.

"- foul sorcerer! Were it not for yonder cleric's mandate that I remain stationed in this bed, I would _smite_ you where you lie!" cried an, unfortunately, familiar voice.

"Yeah right, _Kunou_! I could beat you even if that guy had broken _every_ bone in my body!" replied another, equally frustrating, voice.

His eyes widened in surprise at the scene before him. He was in a large hospital style room, but it was a very populated room. To the right of him, their beds on opposite sides of the room, were Kunou and Ranma. The two were arguing heatedly back and forth and looked like they had been for a while; he sighed in disgust, they likely would be for a while yet to come.

Obviously, Ranma was the worst off the two, his entire torso plastered in a heavy cast; his arm tightly bound to his chest in an odd-looking sling. Kunou seemed to have only minor injuries, the boy was also stripped to the waist, a series of bandages wrapped around his shoulder and encircling his chest.

A girlish giggle followed by an annoyed grunt drew his discreet gaze across the room. Lying in the bed directly across from his own was the fiery haired Tamaranean, Starfire. A smile tugged at his lips, seeing the lovely girl looking so happy and vital. She didn't seem too hurt, just a heavy cast on her right hand. The alien girl was giggling and waving shyly to the boy in the bed beside her own.

Occupant of said bed was none other than Mousse. He boggled at the scenario for a moment, what _exactly_ had gone on while he had been unconscious? Ranma and Kunou fighting was nothing new, but why on earth was Starfire acting all schoolgirl crush around the Hidden Weapons master? An unusual protective urge rose from _somewhere_ within him. Mousse better not have done anything _questionable_ to the vivacious young hero, or he'd have a _lot_ more to worry about than what appeared to be a few minor burns.

Hmm, it didn't appear that he had much to worry about though, considering the way that Mousse stared back at the girl, frustration in his eyes, before turning to stare at the door. He could practically see the Chinese boy willing Shampoo to arrive and save him from the young Titan. As soon as the boy's back was turned though, Starfire began to giggle even more... was – was she _teasing_ the sight impaired boy? He chuckled quietly; some things just didn't bear thinking about.

Slowly, he slid his eyes to the last bed occupying the crowded medical room... right into the waiting gaze of a painfully familiar pair of violet orbs.

The two of them stared for what most certainly felt like a longer time than passed. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he struggled to form a smile on his lips, noticing her attempting the same feat. He held the awkward smile for a few moments before shame destroyed it. Nearly at the same time, they both looked away, unable to hold the gaze for any length of time.

He took the time to study his companion's condition; what he saw wasn't inspiring. Raven was also entombed in a massive body cast, covering all her torso, and sliding around to entomb her entire left arm as well. Only the delicate digits of her left hand poked out daintily from the heavy cast. A lump formed in his throat at the sight. It was hard to accept... that _he_ was the one responsible for the worst of her injuries.

Raven had battled Jinx alone, then helped Ranma and him defeat the Headmaster, not to mention whatever other trials she might have endured while he had been out of it. She had gone through all of that, fought against a formidable force of villains... and it had been _him_ that had come closest to killing her!

How could he even imagine gaining her forgiveness?

Raven seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as well, though whatever ran through her mind was a mystery to him. After a few moments, unlike himself, she seemed to come to a resolution in her mind. She looked back to him, catching his gaze once more. This time, the smile which formed on her pale lips did not waver, at least until she opened them to speak.

"Welcome back... Ryouga."

He found the strength to smile back then. He was about to respond, when-

" _Hey_! The Lost Boy's finally awake! And it only took three days, you owe me five bucks, Mousse!"

"Friend Ryouga! My heart _soars_ with joy for your recovery!"

"Noble Wanderer, it is with great relief, that I welcome you back from your slumber."

"Good to see you haven't left us for good yet, Hibiki."

Instantly the room was cast into chaos. He felt his throat begin to catch uncomfortably, as his friends showered him with their concern. Suddenly, he was besieged by questions and congratulations and concerned inquiries. Some of the more able bodied, even rose and came over to check on him personally.

He saluted Kunou, as the boy strode over and bowed low before him in respect. He smiled warmly and nodded back to Mousse, who stood at his side now, looking on knowingly.

Then he threw up his arms in front of him, desperately trying to ward off the incoming hug from Starfire! He might as well have tried to hold back the rain, as the girl crashed into his chest and wrapped her arms around him in a (not _quite_ ) crushing hug. Almost instantly, the girl buried her face into his chest, and he could feel warm tears soaking into the bandages that covered his own body.

A resigned smile on his face now, he wrapped his arms around the precious girl and gently ran a hand through her long, silken hair. A little pain was worthwhile if it made his friend happy.

"Is it truly you, Ryouga? Are you once again the you that you were when first we knew you?" asked the alien girl. On another strange whim, he lowered down, and pressed his lips to the girl's forehead, before holding her tighter.

"I sure am, Star. I remember _everything_ now," he replied reassuringly. Then he squeezed her even tighter and buried his face deep within the concealing lengths of her fiery hair, feeling the shame build up inside again. "Star... I am _so_ sorry, I did – I did such horrible things... to you, to _everyone_."

Starfire returned his fierce embrace for several moments, before finally leaning back and disentangling herself from him. Gently, she lowered a finger below his kin and raised his gaze to match hers. She stared at him, her emerald eyes shining with such compassion and love, that he nearly felt tears rise once again.

"I can not speak for all of the others whom you have wronged, but we shall speak upon the matters between us later..." She looked around for a moment, to the number of people surrounding them. "... in private," she finally answered, smiling happily. Then the angelic girl rose into the air and moved to stand on the floor once more, standing by his bed as well.

"Yeah, Ryouga, I wanna talk with ya later on, too," came Ranma's voice from the side. He turned to regard his equally bed ridden companion, a wry look on his face. "I mean, we _really_ gotta brag big time about how me, Raven and you kicked the Headmaster's butt all over the place, while everyone else was playing around in the basement!"

This, of course, instantly reignited the earlier conflict, as now Kunou _and_ Mousse took exception to the Saotome boy's outrageous claim. Ryouga could only roll his eyes in fond annoyance, as a familiar scene began to unfold. He was almost tempted to throw in a few inflammatory remarks himself, for old times sake, when again they were interrupted.

"Oh my! You should all really be in your beds!" Kasumi's gentle, yet stern, voice rang through the room.

Immediately, the fighting died down and both injured boys verily flew back to their beds. Starfire just flew back literally. Ryouga shook his head ruefully, it seemed that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

He smiled again and turned to regard the serene young woman as she wheeled into the room.

... _wheeled into the room_? His eyes widened until he feared they might pop out entirely.

Kasumi was in a _wheelchair_! The delicate looking Tendo smiled pleasantly, as Cyborg casually pushed her chair into the room. A moment later, they were followed in by an embarrassed looking Beast Boy. Neither of the Titans even registered, as he stared in shock at the wheelchair bound woman.

"Kasumi, you were _paralyzed_ in the battle? Gods, this is _all my fault_!" he cried in despair. He clenched his fists in self hatred and practically willed himself to drop dead. Because of him – because of _him_ , the sweetest, kindest, _gentlest woman_ in the entire world was now trapped in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

He was about to beg for forgiveness, but something seemed off when he looked back up. Kasumi was looking at him strangely, almost confused. Behind her, Cyborg looked ready to burst into laughter, and all around the room, people rolled their eyes in amusement. What was wrong with these people?

"Paralyzed?" asked Kasumi, clearly puzzled. Suddenly, a look of comprehension crossed her perfect features; a dainty giggle escaped her lips. "Oh my, no! I'm perfectly all right, I just sprained my ankle on one of Beast Boy's boots while I was cleaning up in the living room."

Instantly, every pair of eyes in the room centered in on the green lad that was trying to vanish behind his large cybernetic teammate.

"It's surprising how much of a _mess_ that five teenagers can make without supervision. I mean, there was tofu all over the counters, video games lying everywhere, music CD's strewn across the room, and purple uniforms lying all over the furniture," listed the eldest Tendo innocently. Still, perfectly innocent, or not, every word seemed to intensify the angry glares on the changeling.

Cyborg shook it off first, obviously used to his buddy's messes. "Kasumi, you shouldn't be cleaning up after us, _anyway_. You burned your hands pretty bad when you laid the smack down on the Headmaster," lectured the concerned teen.

Ryouga boggled yet again. Kasumi had - um, done... _something_ , to the Headmaster? Indeed, Cyborg's story seemed to be confirmed, as he noticed the gentle girl's hands wrapped carefully in bandages. What, oh what was this world coming to?

He wanted to ask more questions, his mind literally burned with a desire to know what on earth was going on and what happened... but suddenly everything was starting to get blurry again. His chest rose painfully, feeding a desire for air that only those huge yawns seem capable of doing. Gingerly, he rubbed a hand across his eyes, trying to fight off the sudden lethargy that descended upon him... but...

he just couldn't...

seem to...

do...

...it.

* * *

Kasumi smiled warmly as Ryouga, Ranma and Raven all succumbed to sleep. She marveled at the automated medical devices, which had just administered each of them with pain killers. Gingerly, she rose to her feet, limping only slightly as she walked to the end of Raven's bed and picked up her medical chart. Her warm smile dissolved into a rare frown as she looked at the long list of injuries the delicate looking girl had sustained.

She felt a presence beside her and turned to regard the tall young man that joined her.

"Everyone else is pretty much fine, just a few bumps, burns and broken bones," said the cybernetic Titan, "But _these_ three. I don't even know _how_ they survived." Politely, he took Raven's chart from her and glanced at it himself for a moment before replacing it at the end of the bed.

"I mean, Raven here, three broken ribs and bleeding internally? One of her ribs very nearly punctured her lung," he explained. He shook his head sadly, then gestured to Ryouga's bed. "Ryouga there, hairline fractures on over half of his skeleton and the poor bastard had a dang hole burned right through him!" he said in disgust. A slight raising of her eyebrow reminded the boy to watch his language.

He coughed a small apology before continuing. "I don't have any idea how he survived that tornado, but it's a good thing that Ranma found him when he did, another few minutes and he would have bled out completely."

Then the young hero moved down to stare at the unconscious pigtailed boy, a look of confusion on his face. "And then there's _this_ guy! I mean, sure he's got a dozen broken ribs, a really weirdly relocated shoulder and a world of bruises, but when he finally let us take a look at him, he was closer to death's door than either of those two!"

Kasumi smiled warmly and nodded in understanding. "It was because he had used up so much of his ki in all of the battles. He scarcely had enough to keep his own heart beating after he and Starfire saved us all with their quick thinking," she explained for him. He looked back at her, not quite understanding.

"Ranma told me what happened during all of his battles. First, he had nearly exhausted himself using his ki attack on Ryouga. Then, after that, he transferred a little of his remaining energy to Raven, though I'm not sure how. And after _that_ he got into that dangerous battle with the Headmaster and used another of his ki attacks.”

She shook her head in disbelief.

“And _then_ finally, he dug up the reserves to finally use that last technique to save us." A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "And yet, he still had the energy to refuse to leave until he found Ryouga. Even Elder Cologne couldn't explain how he was still standing."

Cyborg shook his head again, perhaps not wanting to understand. "Yeah, well, I don't know about all that ‘ _ki’_ stuff, but all three of these kids were _crazy_ to go after the Headmaster in their conditions! Well, at least it looks like they'll all recover, eventually."

She nodded once more, idly picking up Ranma's chart to look it over once more. She understood most of the information presented, she had studied many of the books that Dr. Tofu had provided her, after all, but there just seemed to be so much more that she could still learn. And the machines that were speeding along the recovery of her dear friends, they were so amazing; she wanted to know everything about every one of them.

The gingerly limping Tendo made her way over to one of the machines tending to Ryouga and began to read the various displays. Slowly she looked over to Cyborg, who was busily checking the cast on his teammate's hand.

"Excuse me, Cyborg. Could you show me how this machine works? I – I want to help my friends recover in any way I can," she asked politely.

Cyborg smiled to his orange skinned teammate one last time, patting her head affectionately, before turning her way. A few long steps brought him to her side, an interested look on his face.

"Well, you _do_ seem to have a basic knowledge of medicine and such, which is more than most anyone else here has. But, all this tech is complicated; you'd have to learn a lot more advanced medicine to be able to understand all their applications. It'd probably take me _months_ to teach you how to use all of this stuff properly," he explained, an odd note in his voice.

Absently, she raised her hand and tapped a delicate finger to her chin, deep in thought.

"Hmm... months?"

* * *

Ukyou bounced heavily into the wall, only to spin quickly to the side as a dark fist punched a sizeable hole into the dense concrete. Deftly, she flicked a hand across her bandoleer even as she swept down into a low sweep kick. Predictably, her prey took to the air, gracefully flying over her foot a second before it smashed into the same wall. A split second later, she let loose with the mini spatulas; they blurred through the air blindingly fast and forced her opponent back to the other side of the room.

She took the momentary break to flip over to her discarded combat spatula and kick it up into her hands. Her favored weapon in hand once more, she dropped into her usual stance and waved in her enemy.

"Not too bad, Bee! You had me worried for a second when you actually got my spatula away from me," she admitted, honestly congratulating the recently ousted spy. Bumble Bee, now at the far end of the large gymnasium that resided in the belly of the Titan's tower, landed gracefully, and smiled back.

"Heh, just you wait. I promised I'd beat you _once_ before you and your friends left for Japan," replied the uniformed girl.

Ukyou just smiled wider at that. "Yeah? Well then I guess I might as well set up a new restaurant in town, because you beating me is a _long_ way off," she bragged playfully.

Her dark-skinned opponent's only reply was to charge in, weapons blazing with golden energy. The chef extraordinaire was forced to duck and weave around the bursts of stinging light; a few she was forced to deflect with the broad face of her massive cooking implement. A single-handed cartwheel blurred into a forward somersault, into a backwards roll; was followed by a lightning fast swing of her weapon, bouncing one of the bolts back to its owner.

A second later, she planted her feet and launched herself at the ex-villain, her weapon trailing a shower of sparks behind her as it scraped the ground. Bumble Bee, for her part, was just recovering from dodging her own attack, and desperately angled her golden weapons to block her deadly diagonal slash.

The weapons met with a resounding metallic ring, and suddenly, she found herself spinning back the way she came, as Bumble Bee used her unnatural strength to push her massive spatula back fiercely. The next thing she felt, was a powerful hand grasp the back of her shirt. A gut-wrenching moment later, she was airborne, flying backwards through the air; her target, one of the unyielding walls of the chamber.

She smirked once more, she had underestimated her opponent's strength, but the girl had also underestimated her agility. It was a minor feat to flip over in mid air and use Bumble Bee's throw to ricochet of the wall. As soon as her feet touched the cold material of the wall, she pushed with all her might, and launched herself at the girl's unsuspecting back.

The vast expanse of her ancestral weapon gleamed under the fluorescent lights of the room, as it swung heavily through the air, aimed painfully at the back of her opponent's head. She strained her arms, pushing her broad weapon to fight the considerable wind resistance it faced when she used the flat of it.

A gasp of shock escaped her lips, when suddenly her enemy vanished, leaving her weapon to fly harmlessly through the space that she once occupied. Ukyou nearly spun out of control; it was all she could do to recover before she crashed painfully to the ground. As quickly as she could, she drew another throwing spatula from her bandoleer and spun to face behind her.

She brought her deadly weapon around in a flash of silver, holding it like a knife fighter might. Her motion was brought up short, as she found the golden arc of a rather familiar weapon resting only an inch from her nose, crackling with anxious energy.

The weapon's owner smiled triumphantly.

"Heh, maybe opening a store might be a bit premature, eh sister?" Bumble Bee taunted smugly. The girl's smug expression dropped a bit, at the predatory smile that rested on Ukyou's lips. Slowly, the girl looked down, to see Ukyou's hand resting on her shoulder, a tiny spatula pressing lighting into the delicate skin of her neck.

The chef smiled a bit wider, before carefully retracting her weapon and standing up once more. "Why don't we call this one a draw?" she offered amiably. Bumble Bee rubbed her neck gingerly for a moment, before nodding in agreement.

The sound of polite applause drew their attention to the side of the room. Both young women turned to the source of the clapping. Standing not far from the gym's entrance, was the striking figure of Kunou Tatewaki. Ukyou had to admit she was a bit impressed; the sword toting boy had been getting on her good side lately. He'd certainly come a long way from when Mousse and she were tossing the pontificating boy out of her restaurant.

"Truly, a most well fought battle betwixt formidable warriors. I am only glad that you fought in jest; for had this been a true battle, the world would now be shorted a pair of unmatched beauties," he offered kindly.

Ukyou rolled her eyes, though not in annoyance; a fact which surprised even herself. She noticed Bumble Bee roll her eyes as well, though there was just a hint of a blush forming on the girl’s cheeks that the heroine just couldn't hide. She smiled at that, who would have thought that getting kidnapped and brainwashed would _help_ the foolish kendoist.

Certainly, the boy was still a nuisance whenever Ranchan was around, threatening to smite the infidel and going on as normal. However, since they had returned from the remains of the Hive's hidden base, she, and all the other females from Nerima noticed some obvious changes in the boy's behavior.

First, he had been _polite_ to Akane! He had even used her name, hadn't called her ‘his fierce tigress’ or anything like that. It was a bit unnerving, really. Instead, he had been, well, a perfect gentleman. Sure, he still made corny remarks like the one he had just delivered, but now his compliments were offered with a touch of humor and lacking the crazed look the boy usually had in his eyes.

"Wouldn't _that_ have been a shame, _Tatie_?" said Bumble Bee, a mischievous smile on her face. Ukyou giggled, at the expression of annoyance that crossed the boy's face at the nick name.

"How many times have I told you _not to call me that,_ woman?" demanded the, now irate, swordsman.

Bumble Bee just thrust out a shapely hip to the side and rested a fist on it, looking back at the boy seriously. "And how many times have I told you not to call me _woman_? I _do_ have a name, you know," she fired back, a fiery look in her eyes.

A look of embarrassment quickly flew across the young man’s face, before a playful expression settled in once more. He matched the girl's gaze, a mirthful smile on his face.

"Indeed, you do... _Karen_ ," he stated slyly.

Instantly, Bumble Bee ran forward and slapped a hand across the boy's mouth and looked back in her direction in shock. Quickly she spun to face the swordsman again. "You're not supposed to use my real name in front of _anyone_ **!"** she veritably hissed at the young man.

Ukyou watched the exchange with marked interest. Bumble Bee had a way of handling the swordsman that she hadn't seen before. She was one of the strongest willed girls that Ukyou had met and was as self assured as a certain pigtailed boy. Yes, Ukyou definitely liked the bee striped girl. She decided to save the girl any further frustration and changed the subject.

"So, Kunou, you come down here to practice?" she asked casually.

After struggling for a moment to free his mouth from his companion's overly strong hand, he replied, "Nay, fair Ukyou, I had merely heard from Kasumi that the two of you were intent to battle each other once more. I believed that such a spectacle would be of great interest to watch and was thusly proven correct. However, now that the fray is ended, I believe I shall away to the roof; I wish to spend some time in meditation this glorious day."

Ukyou raised an eyebrow at that. Kunou would rather meditate that hang out down here with two ‘beauteous maidens’? She chuckled quietly to herself, she'd better get off that line of thought; she wouldn't want to give Bumble Bee the wrong idea.

"Heh, well you go do that then. I'm quite sure the two of us can come up with something a little more exciting than sitting around and _thinking_ ," replied Bumble Bee. With that, she turned the boy back to the entrance and playfully started pushing towards the door. With only minor resistance and a few small chuckles, Kunou was finally ushered from the room.

The martial artist could only smile in amusement at the scene. As soon as the kendoist was gone, she walked over to the side of the room and plopped down onto one of the many benches. Absently, she wiped away the sweat from her face with her sleeve. She then took in a deep, relaxing breath. That had been a surprisingly good match, nearly fifteen minutes in all. It turned out that they both did much better without a third wheel getting in the middle of their fight.

A moment later, she felt the thump of a body dropping to the bench beside her. Casually, she looked to the tired girl at her side; Bumble Bee still wore a wide smile on her lips and a light blush on her cheeks. Ukyou shook her head at that, still finding it hard to believe.

" _So_... you and Kunou, eh?" she drawled slowly.

Bumble Bee looked back, her blush brightening fiercely at the question. After a moment though, a thoughtful look crossed the girls features.

"Well... kind of... sort of." The girl let out a long sigh. "... I don't know. Honestly, I _know_ he's a bit of a dope, but I think there's a lot of potential there," she admitted shyly.

Her shy expression fell quickly though, as she huffed on in annoyance. "But most of the time, he treats me more like a _teammate_ than a girl. I mean, every once in awhile he can say something really sweet, but then..." the girl trailed off uncertainly.

Ukyou patted her on the shoulder reassuringly. "Well, if this was going on a few months ago, I'd say you were the biggest _idiot_ I ever met for actually liking that guy," she added helpfully. She giggled at the burning gaze that her companion shot her way. She waved the girl down, before she could explode. " _But_! But Kunou has been acting different since your old boss messed with his head. I don’t know, suddenly, it doesn't seem so crazy that you could actually like him."

Bumble Bee paused a moment, thoughtfully, at her statement. Finally, she closed her eyes and started rubbing her temples in frustration. "Meh, all I know, is that thinking about that boy is giving me a _headache_. Let's talk about something else, please?"

The Nerimian giggled. That seemed to be closer to the normal effect that Kunou had on people. Still, she'd teased the poor girl enough for one day. Deciding to relax some more, she closed her own eyes and leaned back against the cool wall behind them.

Silence reigned for a moment, before another thought entered her mind. Slowly she turned to face her newest friend, a question on tip of her tongue. The same question that had been on her mind ever since they had returned from battling, and nearly being killed by all those crazed super villains.

"Why do you do it?"

Her companion looked back to her, confusion on her features.

"Do what?"

Ukyou gestured meaninglessly. "You know, the _hero_ thing. The fighting the bad guys, catching the criminals, risking your life for total strangers," she asked again. It seemed so alien to her. Sure, she and her friends, they all helped when they could, but when it came down to it, saving people just wasn't really what they did. If someone were getting robbed outside of her shop, of course she would jump in, but she never went out of her way to hunt down criminals.

Even Ranma, Ryouga and Mousse, they had battled some immensely powerful villains in their time, but only to help themselves, or people they knew. She had never heard of Ranma to run off and fight some Chinese warlord that had kidnapped anyone _but_ Akane.

Bumble Bee considered her question for a moment. The girl then shrugged.

"Because I'm the only one that _can_. Heh, well, at least that's what I _thought_ when I first got into this line of work, before I ran into other people like myself," she answered, a smirk on her lips. She then raised one of her darkly skinned hands and clenched it into a fist before her. "I have these powers, the ability to fight for the people that can't fight for themselves. It just seemed like the right thing to do, I guess."

The girl's line of reasoning seemed to ring in her head. After their first battle, Ukyou had dismissed the girl's worth, claiming that she hadn't sacrificed anything for her powers. Now, now she felt like a bit of a hypocrite. Bumble Bee had sacrificed her entire life to her powers; she used her powers to help anyone that she could, stranger or not. The same with Robin, Starfire, and all the rest of the Titans upstairs. She had yet to see any of them in anything other than their uniforms, she was starting to wonder if they even had normal lives to return to.

Ranma, Ryouga and herself, they had all dedicated their lives to becoming stronger, better, faster... but what had they _done_ with all the power they had sacrificed so much for? Ranma went to school and lived a more or less normal life at the Tendo Dojo. She ran a successful restaurant and went to school herself. Even Ryouga, he spent most of his life just wandering around, looking for Ranma. Certainly, the Lost Boy was more likely to help strangers than most of their group, but that was likely more out of coincidence as to where he was lost _that_ day, than to him actually seeking out those in need.

She just couldn't wrap her head around the concept. "Feh, seems stupid to me," she muttered, still not understanding.

Bumble Bee just smiled, obviously not offended at all. Instead, the super powered girl just leaned back, resting her hands behind her head.

"Yeah, doing the right thing usually does."

* * *

Kunou drew in a deep breath from his perch upon the roof of the mighty structure beneath him. The sight that stretched out before him was truly awe inspiring. He watched, wishing that he were in possession of a quill and parchment, as the sun set over the endless ocean that encircled this tiny isle. The great swaths of orange and purple, fading into one another and into another thousand hues for which he had no name. It was almost a shame that he had no one to share this sight with and had not the time to fetch any of his companions before the sight vanished for another night.

He took in another cleansing breath, forgetting his minor regrets and letting his mind wander as he watched the celestial event before him. A chuckle escaped his lips, likely his various companions would think him foolish for taking such simple pleasure from an event which occurred each and every day.

And enjoy it he did, it almost felt as if he had never genuinely appreciated the setting of the sun before. He had been trapped under the earth for so long, held in the thrall of the odious Headmaster. Imagine, him, of the honorable Kunou family, to be tricked so. Still, he had done nothing overly criminal, his conscience was, for the most part, clear. And he had made many valuable gains in his tenure at the Hive Academy. For the first time, he had truly been interested in his schooling. A school which taught advanced combat side by side with advanced computer sciences. Though it was for a nefarious end, the education of a villain was _surprisingly_ comprehensive.

He had also made a handful of, what could be considered, friends. People that respected him for his abilities rather than scorned him. And, of course, there were his two closest companions, Angel and Bumble Bee. He shook his head in fond frustration. How that ebony skinned goddess _vexed_ him so! Never had he met a maiden that spoke with such _fire_ , such passion. Certainly, the pigtailed girl, and his junior classmate, Akane Tendo, were both passionate and fiery creatures as well, but only in their anger.

A wistful sigh escaped his lips, as the last rays of the sun finally faded from sight. For the first time in his life, he was... confused on how to approach a woman. Perhaps – perhaps he could garner some advice from those more knowledgeable than himself in the subject? Perhaps the ancient masters would be able to help-

"Hmph, what are _you_ doin up here?" came a familiar voice from behind him.

A sliver of shame ran through him at the voices youthful ring. There was _one_ thing that he had regretted in his actions, influenced as they were by the Headmaster's trickery. Slowly, he rose to his feet and turned to face the small frame of the boy that stood behind him. The deep frown that covered the boy's face stood out sharply on a face that was more accustomed to smiles.

"Fear not, Garfield Logan, my time here is at an end, and I will bother you no longer," he offered politely.

"Hey! Don't call me that! _You_ call me Beast Boy! Got it?" the emerald youth all but growled his angry response.

Tatewaki sighed at that. "Very well... Beast Boy, if that is your wish. Before I take my leave, though, there is one more thing I wouldst say to you."

The formidable boy looked back at him, a distrusting look upon his features, but offered no resistance.

Slowly, and with great dignity, the Kunou heir knelt once more, and bowed forward until his forehead nearly touched the ground.

"I wish to convey my deepest apology to you and beg for your forgiveness. In our first battle, I attacked in a most dishonorable manner, attacking whilst you were unready. Also, I disregarded your skills, disrespected you greatly while we fought," he stated solemnly.

Beast Boy looked down at him, bewildered. "Huh? W-what are you talkin about? You're _sorry_?" asked the shocked boy.

He only nodded in return. "I am most shamed by my actions, what I did was inexcusable. I can only pray that you find it in your heart to forgive me, in time."

The emerald youth shook his head, a small smile forming on his face.

"Umm, yeah, well... I guess you weren't really yourself back there, so I can't really hold it against ya too much, can I? And – and would you get _up already_? You're freakin me out with all that bowin and stuff!" cried the young man.

Thankful for his companion's benevolent spirit, the master swordsman finally rose to his feet once more. "You honor me with your forgiveness. Truly, you are a virtuous man. Already you have proven it three times now. With your ability to forgive even one such as myself. When you saved us all from certain destruction in the academy. And, finally, with your unyielding spirit in our first battle. I once again apologize for belittling you so in our first meeting."

"Heh, well, I guess I was bein a bit of a _jerk_ myself that first fight. I don't know what you mean about not takin me serious in that fight, though. You kicked my butt pretty badly after all," joked the young Titan.

Tatewaki felt a small smile form on his own lips. "Tis true, you may lack the martial skill of myself and my contemporaries, but even then, I could sense the spirit of a true warrior within you. Even when I stood triumphant over you, still you refused to surrender, still struggled to save your friend; that is the mark of a true man. That is also why I would prefer to call you by your given name, as the moniker of ‘ _boy’_ hardly seems to suit one of such primal power as yourself."

Beast Boy nearly preened under his barely adequate praise. This young boy had shown him something truly noble in their short relationship. From all his research into the youngest of the Titans, he now saw certain parallels between them. Both were considered to be the least amongst their peers. Both were seen as sources of amusement and little else, their mutual prowess looked down upon as inferior. But, despite how little others thought of them, both also refused to back down, to give in, no matter how superior the foe they faced.

Truly, what could be more noble?

"So... you _really_ think that I'm a real man?" asked the small hero. At that, he stepped forward and dropped a hand on the young man's shoulder and led the boy to where he had been watching the sunset only moments ago. Now a different beauty graced the sea, as the moon began to shine across the infinite surface of the waters.

"Garfield, after seeing the awesome beast whose form you can take..." he started proudly.

"... do you think anyone would be _fool_ enough to argue the point?

* * *

Ryouga woke with a start. His breath came in short, harsh gasps, as the nightmares already began to fade from his mind. He doubted he would sleep well for some time to come, without the phantom of the Headmaster coming to haunt him. He was somewhat glad, though, knowing that he was not a murderer, no matter how close he had come to it.

Hmm, it was dark for some reason. All the lights were off, and he could scarcely see his hand in front of his face. A few moments fixed that, as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness. Soon, the blinking lights of numerous machines began to make themselves known, and the room slowly came into a greyish kind of life around him.

Another, more pressing matter made itself known as well, as his bladder decided then and there, that it was full to bursting.

A dilemma then, as he was _not_ in favor of using a bed pan, but would be able to find a bathroom in time? He didn't even know the layout of the building, not that it would have helped. Still, his decision was made quite quickly, as nature's call pulled him from the firm bed and out into the hallway.

It was a hellish fifteen minutes later that he finally found a bathroom and was able to take care of that business. After washing his hands and splashing some warm water against his face to dash away the fogginess of the drugs in his system, he finally began to take in his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed... was the _terrific_ amount of pain he was still in. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures, and a little crippling pain had never stopped him before. The next thing he noticed, were the odd look of the hallways around him, this didn't look like any hospital he had been in before. In fact, he didn't see another patient anywhere, or even a nurse or orderly.

Curious, and not tired after sleeping for what felt like forever, he decided to explore this new place. All the hallways seemed to blur together, but eventually he found himself in a room that stood apart from any other he had been in before, or _ever_ for that matter.

The room he stumbled into was mammoth in size! He figured that the entire Tendo home and Dojo could fit into this one room. The entire room was bathed in soft moonlight, pouring in through the massive bay windows that made up one entire wall of the room. He moved to stand in the middle of the room, staring in wonder at the sight that stretched out before him. There was an entire city outside the window, lit up with a million points of light, separated from the building he was in by a massive body of water.

It was a nice sight indeed, and it did give him a vague idea where he might be. After that, he decided to take in the room around him. In the center of the room, was a long, semi circular couch, sitting before a truly epic entertainment center. The digital clock on the television read nearly midnight. Back behind him, was an entire kitchen space. The rest of the room, well, it seemed to be more space than was really needed for what was there.

Still, he _was_ hungry, maybe the Titans wouldn't mind if he borrowed a little food; he'd make sure to pay them back.

A few minutes later, just as the sizzle of his improvised stir fry began to fill the air with a delectable aroma, he was surprised by one of the doors sliding open. His surprise quickly melted into a smile, as Starfire floated into the room, a searching, but tired, expression upon her face.

She looked around the room for a moment before her eyes finally came to rest on him. As soon as she saw him, a look of relief appeared on her face, and she floated over to join him.

"Ryouga, there you are!" she whispered excitedly. "I awoke moments ago, but found you missing from your bed. I was worried that you might have become misplaced."

He ruffled her hair playfully and pulled up a stool for her to sit on while he continued to cook. Absently, he added some more to the stir fry, if he recalled, Starfire had a healthy appetite.

"Heh, I just had a nightmare was all, nothing to worry about. You don't mind that I'm using your kitchen, do you?" he asked.

The alien girl smiled happily and sat down upon the stool; almost instantly, her head drooped down to the counter and she rested it upon her crossed arms. "Of course, I do not mind." She yawned loudly at that. "I am glad that you did not accidentally depart from the tower, I do not know if I would have been able to locate you."

He chuckled to himself. Knowing her, she _would_ have tried to find him if he had gotten lost. No one _ever_ looked for him when he got lost, it was just an accepted fact that, sooner or later, he was going to end up on the back of a milk carton.

"Heh, yeah, I guess since I don't have a communicator anymore, it's going to be a lot harder for me to avoid getting lost." He sighed wistfully; he'd really been fond of the small device that the Headmaster had given him. It had had a world of uses, first and foremost, a handy GPS unit and a homing beacon.

Starfire looked at him oddly for a moment before a tired smile bloomed on her face. "Perhaps you may ask Robin to return the Hive device that was found in your belongings. He currently has it in his possession, for security reasons I believe."

Robin _took_ his communicator? Well, he'd just see about that. The Boy Wonder could look at it all he wanted, but Ryouga was definitely getting it back. Not only was it useful, it represented a number of things that he didn't want to let go of. To him, it was a reminder of his friends at the academy; it was a symbol of his achievement to earn it in the first place. Sure, it represented his criminal past as well, but frankly, that didn't matter nearly as much as the rest.

He offered a very thin-lipped smile. "Really? Well, I'll be certain to _discuss_ that with Robin later."

Luckily, his Tamaranean companion was too tired to catch on to his true inflection and let it slip. The girl idly began to trace strange designs on the countertop with her finger, before looking at him again, a more serious look in her eyes.

"Ryouga... I would like to enter into discussion with you concerning a rather... uncomfortable topic," she said cryptically.

He grabbed the wok and carefully stirred the contents around a bit more; he didn't want to have to eat burnt food again. After a moment, he finally returned his gaze to the young alien.

"Sure, Star, you know you can talk to me about anything." She sounded a bit nervous, she probably wanted to ask him for advice with Robin, or something equally embarrassing. Wait – what was he thinking? Who on earth would come to _him_ for relationship advice?

Suddenly, he felt a bit worried.

"That is most beneficial. I was worried that you might not wish to speak to me concerning the events which transpired between Raven and yourself, or the lingering emotions which may still exist between you," she exclaimed happily.

He let out a low groan - that had _not_ been what he had meant, when he said she could talk to him about anything! He hadn't even been awake for an hour yet, and he certainly hadn't been dwelling on _that_ yet. It was, after all, one of several large issues that was currently just waiting to topple over and bury him under their weight.

"Star... I'm not sure there's a whole lot to talk about there," he said, a little desperately. Rather than falling for his weak ruse, the girl's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she actually _glared_ at him!

"Perhaps I am unfamiliar with the meaning of the Earth word, ‘anything’. I was under the impression, that when you said that I could speak to you about ‘anything’ that it meant no subject was to be exempted," she stated in a very deliberate tone.

Oh, boy... He knew _that_ look and tone of voice. He hadn't seen her like this since he had told her about the whole "Carp Fishing Rod" fiasco. He _still_ had bruises from their ‘training’ that day. "O-okay, _okay_ , we'll talk about it... I just don't know what there is to say."

Suddenly, the girl reverted to sunshine and puppy dogs, as if she had always been. Curse these women and their devious tricks! "Then, why do you not just tell me what your current feelings for my dearest and closest of friends are?" she asked happily.

He grumbled to himself some more. He enjoyed her company more when she was bludgeoning him with cars. "Sheesh, Star. I'm not even sure what I feel _myself_ , what makes you think I would be able to tell you right now?" he asked, somewhat annoyed. Being sleepy must make the girl cranky, that or she was just concerned about two of her closest friends and was trying her best to help them sort out their feelings.

He was betting on the former.

He seemed to be vindicated on that bet, as her response to his remark was to gently grab the front of his shirt and pull him closer to her.

"I believe that you would tell me, because we share a special bond, unlike any I share with my other friends. And such is our unique bond, that if you do _not_ respond to my inquiries favorably…" Suddenly her fist twisted into his shirt tightly and she lifted him a foot off the ground, still smiling as sweetly as Kasumi herself. "I will be forced to induce bodily trauma to you."

Hmm, the girl made a convincing argument. Satisfied with her - could he call it _threat_ , when it was Starfire that did it? - she dropped him once more. Never once did she lose her beaming smile. He backed up several feet out of her immediate range before he decided to speak again.

"Fair enough," he started weakly. He took a moment to compose his thoughts and try to figure out just what to say. "... Honestly... honestly, if you're asking whether I love her or not, then I would have to say no."

"Too much has happened lately. You don't really know anything about what happened between Jinx and me, but right now, I don't know if I'll _ever_ feel that way about anyone again. I just - I just feel so _empty_ now, so numb. Besides, after what I did to Raven, there's no way she could _ever_ forgive me. I wouldn't blame her if she hated me for all that I've done," he admitted sadly.

Starfire stared at him, her eyes shining brightly in the near darkness. "You are incorrect on that, Ryouga. I believe that Raven will gladly forgive you. You underestimate the value that she puts upon her friendship with you."

"You – you really think so?" he asked in a saddened voice. He was certain that Starfire could tell by the tone of his voice that he himself thought otherwise.

His endlessly optimistic companion rolled her eyes in annoyance at his infinite pessimism. "You say you do not love her, which I find to be sad, but understandable considering all that has transpired. I will accept that as truth, for now. However, you also would withhold your friendship from her because you fear she would not accept you into her life again? That I do not find acceptable. Ryouga, you _will_ be Raven's friend once more, I will ensure that it comes to pass," stated the girl in a fiery tone.

She then ruined her dramatic moment, by yawning loudly and sinking back to the countertop. He decided to try to change the subject there, this conversation was starting to cross over into painful territory as he mulled over his feelings for both Jinx and Raven. "Look, since you're so insistent, I'll do my best to become Raven's friend again, but only if _she_ wants it. Now! Can we _please_ talk about something that doesn't dredge up so many painful memories, I _am_ supposed to be recovering over here."

The now sleepy looking Tamaranean smiled widely, apparently satisfied with his response. "Very well, friend Ryouga. On which topic did you wish to enter discourse on now?" she asked pleasantly. He stared at her uncertainly for a moment, she hadn't meant what he thought she'd... naw – just his sleep addled mind. Hmm, on that, nice, safe, topic.

"Well, I know why _I'm_ up. Why did you wake up?"

The girl's large green eyes blinked several times sleepily at that. "I too had the dreams of nocturnal female equines," muttered Starfire as she strove to stay awake.

He struggled for a moment to decipher the meaning of her words. As soon as he determined just what it was that she meant, the metal spoon he was using to stir the food warped and deformed in his grip as an icy claw of guilt clutched his heart. Had he really thought he would be the only one having a hard time dealing with all the stuff that had been going on? He could just imagine her nightmares, his own twisted, hate filled face terrorizing her gentle slumbers.

"I'm so sorry Star." He looked down in shame. "I've brought nothing but pain to you and all of your friends. I think you'd all have been better off never running into me in the first place."

Star just looked at him, confusion on her face. "Did – did we just not have that self-same conversation mere moments ago? Again, I am glad that you are apologetic for your actions... but what does that have to do with my subconscious recollections of my imprisonment under the Gordanians?" she asked innocently.

He looked back at her is surprise. Then he rapped himself on the head for his stupidity. Starfire had told him much of what had occurred to her during her imprisonment, much, but not all. However, it didn't take him much imagination to fill in the blanks. He was giving himself far too much credit to think that anything he could ever do would even begin to compare to the horrors this sweet, innocent slip of a girl had already faced in her life.

If he ever ran into those Gordanians though...

Well, the spoon he had been using was a complete ruin now. He discretely dumped it into the trash while his young companion yawned again. She then shook her head, trying to regain her place in the conversation. "It is true that I do not dwell upon the past often, but I do, on rare occasions, suffer such unpleasant dreams."

He smiled once more, a few more yawns like that, and she would be back to sleep in no time. "Well, I'm glad you don't have them too often, but still, I can't even begin to tell you how terrible I feel for what I did to you."

Starfire seemed to consider his statement for a moment, before moving off her stool and floating over to embrace him once more. He smiled wider at that, returning her gentle embrace as they stood there in the dark. After a moment, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder (she was a _very_ tall girl after all) she began to murmur quietly.

"Ryouga, if only to cease your constant stream of apologies, I _forgive_ you, whole heartedly and without reservation. Though I have only known you a short time, you have become like a brother to me." He could almost sense the smile forming on her lips as she continued. "Of course, considering how my _other_ sibling treats me, I believe you will have a most difficult time performing that role any worse," she joked, her light giggle floating through the room.

"Yo dudes. What's cookin in here?" Beast Boy's voice shocked them both, especially considering how the boy seemed to materialize out of thin air, looking intently at Ryouga's dish.

They both stared at the (practically drooling) boy, still embracing each other. If the jade teen even noticed their position, he gave absolutely no indication.

"Smells good, man. I smelt it all the way from the roof. There isn't any meat in it is there?" asked the boy again. Beast Boy turned to face them; a questioning look on his face.

Ryouga looked down to the girl in his arms, then back to the hungry shape changer. "Umm, no? I didn't get around to that yet, but I suppose vegetarian is fine," he finished.

Instantly, the newcomer smiled happily and tore off in search of soy sauce. The Lost Boy just shrugged in amusement, as Starfire finally disentangled herself from him. With that, she returned to her seat, while he added yet more to the stir fry.

"Heh, if we were in Nerima, about seven more people would have shown up right then, and they _all_ would have taken it the wrong way," he started. He stared off to the massive window and the amazing sights that lay beyond again.

"...You know, I don't really miss it much at all."

* * *

Ranma yawned mightily as he gingerly rotated his sore shoulder. Cyborg didn't _have_ to wake him up so darn early to do this, did he? Ah well, at least the guy didn't toss him out the window and then attack him. He tested his shoulder again, just out of masochistic pride. It still amused him greatly that doing the Hiryua Shoten Ha with Starfire had popped his shoulder back into place just by how fast they were spinning. He tried to twist a bit as well, but found that the new body brace that Cyborg had just finished fitting him with held his ribs even more firmly in place than the hastily made plaster cast that he had been wearing for the past two days.

He gave thanks for technology, not only was this new brace a fraction of the thickness of the other one, easily hidden under his shirt, it also didn't _itch_ like crazy. Heck, he almost didn't want to wear a shirt, this crazy hi-tech body brace made him look a bit like a crime fighting cyborg himself. He chuckled happily at that; Cyborg was a cool guy now that he'd had the chance to talk to him. Unfortunately, the cybernetic teen had left almost immediately after, grunting in annoyance at the two missing patients that still needed to be fitted with the more advanced casts.

He slipped his healing arm back into the sling that hung from his neck and waved to Raven. She was already dressed, wearing a bulkier blue shirt to cover her own tailor-made body brace. The one sleeve hung empty, as her arm cast was attached to the brace. The girl wore an unremarkable pair of black pants as well, since she couldn't really wear her leotard over the contraption.

"Man, Cyborg is a great guy, and these brace things are awesome," he cheered. She returned his smile, though a bit weakly.

"He does know what he's doing." The girl let out a weak sigh after that, looking down a bit sadly. Ranma wasn't sure what to make of it, but he had a few suspicions of what could be bothering the girl. He glanced over to the sleeping form of Mousse. Hmm, it seemed like a good a time for a great escape as any. Quickly, he went over to a nearby wall and grabbed the wheelchair that Cyborg had been carting Kasumi around in. A moment later, he was by Raven's bed, scooping up the girl and placing her into the chair.

"Hey! What on earth are you doing?" demanded the girl in her low voice.

He just smiled charmingly and started pushing her out the exit. "Well, I dunno about you, but I can't **_stand_** hospitals. I'm sure a little sun will make us feel better than sitting around here and taking _medicine_ ," he said jokingly.

She shook her head ruefully. "Obviously, you must never have met me before. Sunlight has _never_ made me feel better," she mumbled in annoyance.

He just smiled again and ignored her. A few minutes later, and they were outside. The two of them rolled on for a while, just enjoying the sun, before he was finally able to work up the nerve to break the silence.

"So, Raven, how are you doing now?" he asked hesitantly.

She turned back to face him, raising a questioning eyebrow. "You mean aside from the blinding pain?"

"You know what I mean." he replied. "About all of the stuff between you and Ryouga. You... liked him, didn't you?"

The dark Titan seemed to contemplate his question for quite some time, sitting in silence as he carefully pushed her around the tower.

"I'm not exactly sure how that is any of your business, Ranma. Besides, what does it matter to you?" she asked, a bit of annoyance leaking into her voice.

He sighed; she did have a point. It wasn't really his business, but still...

"Come _on_ , Raven. I know we haven't known each other for long, but after all we've gone through, you feel more like a friend than Mousse or Kunou _ever_ did. I just want to make sure that you're alright with how things went down. I mean, it didn't exactly end well for anyone, did it?"

The violet haired beauty gazed at him silently for several long moments. "For what it's worth, Ranma, I'm glad to call you a friend. I don't exactly have a lot of them, in case you didn't notice," she replied, a wry smile on her lips.

"As for Ryouga... Yes, yes, I did; I still _do_... as a friend. Perhaps... perhaps there had been a time when I had thought _something_ more might come between us... but I was only fooling myself. He is an interesting young man, and were I not who I am, then perhaps it might have been possible," she finally replied.

That was good, he thought to himself a little guiltily. He wasn't exactly sure what she meant, but he knew it was for the best that she wasn't interested in goin after the Lost Boy like that.

"Does it have anything to do with... well, with your _dad_?" he asked.

Her only response was to nod. It seemed to be more than enough to answer his question. It was obvious that she didn't want to speak about it further though, and he wasn't the kind of guy to really dig too deeply into other people's pasts. He was only glad that she seemed alright with how things had turned out, and that she would recover physically as well.

Still, there was something else that he wanted to talk to her about. Really, it was the main reason that he had brought her down here.

"Raven... you wouldn't happen to know how - how Ryouga is doing... would ya?" he asked in a small voice. He was concerned about his best friend. Ryouga seemed to be doing fine, but then the boy had only been awake for about five minutes that Ranma had seen. It might just have been him, but he figured that there was a good chance that everything just hadn't hit the sensitive boy yet.

Raven seemed sympathetic to his cause, as she sighed deeply before answering. "Ryouga is... drained right now, emotionally. Whatever it was that he did, he's still recovering from it mentally. When I was watching him in his sleep, he felt numb, empty. I think that Starfire and your friends are helping, but even as emotionally drained as he is, he is still feeling a lot of shame and self loathing for what he did," she explained.

"I don't know for sure, but I'm worried that as his emotions return to their normal states, his negative mindset will only get worse. You know him better than I, but I don't think he's even had time to come to terms with losing Jinx. She – she _abandoned_ him when he needed her the most. When he finally does remember that I think he will handle it very badly," she finished in a worried voice.

Ranma's eyes narrowed at the girl's words, but he hid his annoyance. "Hmm, you do have a point, if Ryouga thinks that he's lost the only girl he thinks really loved him for him... it'll probably get pretty ugly," he agreed.

"Perhaps I should speak with him?" said the pale girl, though her voice made it sound like she would prefer to do anything in the world but.

He shook his head and started to head back to the tower. His ribs were starting to hurt, and even he had his limits.

"Naw, I'll go talk to him. We got a few things to talk about anyway," he said. Then he glared in annoyance. Yeah, Ryouga and him had some things to talk about, all he had to do was figure out how he could _talk_ about some of those things without talking about them. Man, he still couldn't believe he did it a _second_ time, considering how much trouble it had caused the first time he had done it! He growled one last thing under his breath, one word that seemed to sum up all the frustration he was feeling right then.

" _P-Chan_."

* * *

Kasumi nearly frowned for the third time in as many days. She stared at no less than _four_ vacant beds, three of which were supposed to be containing people that a normal hospital would have labeled as ‘ _in critical condition’_. She sighed and walked over to check on the slumbering form of Mousse, her only remaining patient.

She shouldn't have been surprised, in retrospect. Ranma and his friends had always been fast healers, and they never listened to anyone, even when it was for their own good. But how did they expect to get healthy again, if as soon as she turned her back, they all ran for the hills? She knew that all her sister's young friends loved to play, but really?

She would have to have a _talk_ with all her _patients_.

* * *

Akane yawned again, as she looked around the various compartments in search of her prey. She had gotten up extra early to make sure she was the first one here. She was so excited she could barely contain herself. A few minutes later, her hard work paid off. She smiled happily, looking over all the elements that would become her most thoughtful thank you gift to the Titans for their help in rescuing her sister.

Yes, this would be the best breakfast she ever cooked!

She looked over to the overly large couch in the center of the room and smiled fondly at the three forms that appeared to have fallen asleep there the night before. She had first noticed them when she had crept into the room a few minutes earlier. At first, she had been shocked, to see Ryouga and Starfire sleeping so close together, their shoulders touching, and their heads balanced against each other's. They even had matching lines of drool running down their chins. She had almost gone over and yelled at them for their indecency, until she noticed Beast Boy on the couch as well, draped across both of their laps, curled up like a large humanoid cat.

She giggled to herself lightly. It seemed unlikely that anything gossip worthy could have happened, especially since, judging by the empty bowls at their feet, they had gorged themselves and passed out watching some movie that had long since ended.

Akane would make sure to let those three be the first to sample her delicious breakfast. Ryouga always enjoyed her cooking after all, surely his new friends would enjoy it just as much.

Now, that looked more or less like sugar...

* * *

Beast Boy's eyes snapped open. Something was wrong, he wasn't sure _what_ though. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, there was a bit of an odd smell in the air, but nothing to justify his strange feeling. Still, something deep inside was warning him of some form of unspeakable danger. He hadn't even felt _this_ panicked when the entire Hive academy was going to explode around them.

Slowly, with a sort of feral caution, he sat up, ignoring the pair of bodies that gently slept beneath him. Hmm, whatever it was, his sense of impending doom continued to increase. With a glacial slowness, he turned around to face...

The smiling face of Akane Tendo!

"Good morning, Mr. Beast Boy! I made you some breakfast!" greeted the pretty girl.

She then held out a plate of ‘food’.

For some reason, even the howling beast that resided within his subconscious turned tail and fled.

* * *

Akane stared happily at the three youths she had corralled up to the kitchen counter. She happily placed a plate of her yummy home cooking before the three young heroes. Ryouga looked at the offered food and smiled widely... a little _too_ widely, it seemed to stretch his face in a somewhat painful looking way. Well, she supposed that he _was_ hurt; it was probably just his injuries acting up.

Beast Boy looked at his plate of food uncertainly. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the young boy. "Aren't you even going to _try_ it?" she asked a bit icily.

Ryouga leaned over suddenly, catching all their attention. "Um... Beast Boy can't eat it Akane, he's a vegetarian! Yeah, _yeah_ , that's it! Don't worry though, it's so _delicious_ that I'll eat it for him!" yelled the boy. He then matched deed to word, bolting down all the younger boy's food, then shoveling all his food down just as fast.

"Ryouga! You shouldn't eat that fast, you probably didn't even _taste_ it!" she scolded him. Hmm she'd have to make a vegetarian alternative for the green boy later.

Ryouga looked back, even as he weakly reached for the plate in front of Starfire. "W-w-wouldn't... that be... a – a _shame_." he bit out. His hand only made it halfway to Starfire's before suddenly his whole body seized up. The boy made one last desperate lunge for the last plate, but only ended up collapsing to the floor in a heap.

"It – it's so delicious... that I think I'll – I'll pass out from – _joy_... now," squeaked out the second green boy on the floor.

Akane sighed loudly at that. "That Ryouga, he really shouldn't have left the medical room so early, he obviously isn't strong enough to be walking around yet," she admonished the boy lightly.

Beast Boy stared at her, an unusual look on his face; hmm she'd almost swear it was horror, but that didn't make any sense. The young man then looked to the collapsed Hibiki, then back to her several more times, before he started to back away for the nearest exit.

"Umm... I think I'll go warn - no - _get_ everyone else and tell them that dead-dinner- I mean _breakfast_ is ready!" said the changeling, before he burst out the door.

She just shrugged at his exit. Boys could be so strange sometimes. She was sure that everyone else would enjoy her breakfast as much as Ryouga did. Hmm, speaking of which, she turned to face the counter's last occupant. The flame haired girl was still sitting there, watching the spectacle impassively.

After a few moments, the Titan shrugged and turned back to the plate before her. Akane watched excitedly as the girl dug a spoon into the food, apparently bringing a bit of her alien strength to bear.

Starfire eagerly stuffed a spoonful of the lovingly prepared confection into her maw. The bubbly alien chewed several times before swallowing loudly. A nostalgic look crossed the Tamaranean's face as she lowered her spoon to the table.

Akane was nearly bursting with joy. It looked like Starfire was enjoying her cooking!

"It... its taste reminds me of Denobulan Spider Ticks," stated the alien girl, her voice full of emotion.

The youngest Tendo clasped her hands in front of her and smiled widely. "T-that's good, right?" she cheered happily. _That_ would show that ungrateful Ranma!

"...Denobulan Spider Ticks are toxic to all life..." muttered the orange skinned girl. Then she collapsed into an unmoving heap.

Akane stared in disbelief, until her fragile temper snapped.

"Oh, come _on_ **!** That isn't even funny!"

* * *

Kasumi sighed loudly as she stared at the recently refilled beds. Ryouga and Starfire were back within her care, though not in the way she had hoped. Ranma stared at the comatose boy from his bed, having returned from a stroll not long ago. For some reason, he was muttering something about fools, martyrs, and the ultimate sacrifice. Whatever was that boy going on about?

Still, now that all her patients were returned to her and being cared for again, maybe it would be a good time to speak with her youngest sister. There were a few things she wished to talk to the young woman about. And besides, she just couldn't bring herself to scold Ryouga and Starfire anymore.

Not with them being unconscious anyway.

* * *

Cologne chuckled in great amusement at the young man beside her. Cyborg was cursing loudly, even as he attempted to use some form of cutting torch to clean one of the pots that Akane had used to ‘ _cook’_ earlier that morning. Unfortunately, his efforts seemed to be only sparks and fury, signifying nothing. She considered telling the boy to simply toss the destroyed pot but was having far too much fun watching.

" _Aiyah_ , Kitchen Destroyer really go extra mile this morning, no?" came her great granddaughters amused voice from her other side.

She turned to watch Shampoo preparing the noodles that would be everyone's lunch soon enough. On the other side of the counter, sitting on a stool, was Robin, a wide smile on his face as well.

"Man, I can't believe it. Does she _always_ cook like that? I've never seen _anything_ faze Starfire before," chuckled the small boy.

"You ain't kiddin! Man, I _give up_! I'm not gonna be able to clean this thing without reducing it to its component molecules, and the last thing I want to do is make this abomination _airborne_ ," added the cybernetic teen. He then muttered in a low voice. "Don't need no ‘crimes against humanity’ on my record along with my grand theft auto."

They all got a good laugh out of that one. The old woman was enjoying herself; it reminded her a bit of the time that the Titans had spent in the village. They were every bit as entertaining as Ranma and his friends were.

Silence settled over the four of them for a moment, as they simply enjoyed the blooming smell of the new meal covering the old. She noticed, though, the way that Robin kept glancing at Shampoo out of the corner of his eye. She was certain he was working up the nerve to ask her something and found it to be rather humorous.

Finally, the boy cracked, he looked up to the young warrior. "Shampoo, I – I was wondering if - if maybe after we eat... if maybe, you know, maybe you would like to..." the young boy stumbled over his words nervously. Shampoo looked back at him, a confused look on her face as she tried to determine what he was about to ask her.

"Would you like to spar with me?" finished the boy, finally.

Shampoo rolled her eyes, apparently relieved that he hadn't asked her to do anything else. "Shampoo suppose so. Shampoo hear that you train in village, maybe you not completely worthless male," she replied happily.

Cologne chuckled at their antics, before turning back to the other boy once more. He was now sitting, glaring angrily at the very same pot. "So, boy, have there been any developments in the medical ward lately?"

With on last grunt of disgust, the large teen swept the pot into the trash. "Well, I found out that the T-Stomach Pump works now. Other than that, everyone has been refitted with new casts and braces, so they should be okay. I did get an interesting request though, don't wanna spread any rumors before I know what's goin down for sure though," replied the boy.

She raised an eyebrow in interest. A request? She wondered what he could be speaking of.

Her train of thought was interrupted though, as Robin sat up, a questioning look on his face.

"Hey, has anyone seen that Happosai guy since we got back to the tower?"

* * *

Kasumi gently knocked on the door. A moment later, she heard her young sister's voice ask who it was. The Titans had been kind enough to give everyone that wasn't in a hospital bed a room of their own for their stay here.

"It's Kasumi. May I come in?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," came her sister's slightly annoyed voice. It was likely that she was still a bit upset that no one aside from Ryouga and Starfire would eat the breakfast she had prepared. Kasumi felt bad for her sister, Akane tried _so_ hard; she was just so determined to make people happy with her cooking.

Of course, Kasumi would never dream of _eating_ said ‘food’, but it was the thought that counted.

She pulled the door open and slipped into the rather Spartan room; the door slid closed behind her of its own accord. She noticed her youngest sister sitting on her bed, idly going through the contents of her suitcase. Without a word, she glided over and sat down beside the girl and wrapped a sisterly arm around her.

Akane looked more upset than a simple ruined meal would warrant, and Kasumi had a good idea what it was that was bothering her. After all, it was the same thing that was troubling herself as well.

"I... I can't believe she's _gone_ ," muttered the youngest Tendo.

Kasumi could only nod, squeezing her sister's shoulder reassuringly. It was all so hard to take in; she was having a hard time believing it herself. She had let herself be distracted with all her injured friends, but the question had always been there, wriggling through the back of her mind like something... unpleasant.

"I wish – I wish there were _something_ I could say to make it better. But there just isn't. Nabiki left us," she whispered quietly.

A short sob escaped Akane's lips, and the girl began to fold in upon herself, unable to accept the truth. "B-b-but how-how could she ab- _abandon_ us like that?" Akane's voice hitched uncontrollably as she spoke.

"Akane, _no_ ," she whispered soothingly. "She didn't abandon us. She's just gone her own way. She's _still_ our sister, she still loves us, nothing will _ever_ change that."

The darker haired girl spun on her, anger in her eyes. "Loves us? How can you say that? She lured us all here so the Headmaster could _kill_ us! She chose a bunch of common _criminals_ over the people that loved her!" cried the angry young girl. Kasumi couldn't blame her for her anger though, not this time.

"Akane, that's not what she wanted. Nabiki always intended for you and Ranma to save all of us; me, Ryouga, Tatewaki, Mousse, _all_ the people that were abducted. She _knew_ that you would never let anything happen to us," she replied gently. She didn't want Akane to hate Nabiki. No matter what her sister was planning to do in the future, Nabiki was still family.

Akane gazed back at her, hope in her eyes. "Are you telling the truth? Did - did she really bring us here for that?"

She nodded slowly, hugging the smaller girl tightly. "Nabiki knew early on that the rest of us would never be happy living as villains. That was why she orchestrated everything to bring us to this point. Think, Akane, if all Nabiki wanted to do was abandon us, she could have done it as soon as she had her device finished. She could have left without ever even bringing you over here to fight, she could have abandoned me and the others in the Headmaster's clutches," she explained carefully.

"But she didn't, she did _everything_ that she could in her position, to free us from that monster's control. And that is how I know that Nabiki still loves us, no matter what anyone, even she herself, thinks otherwise."

Her sister seemed to consider her words for a long time. "It still hurts, knowing that she chose a life of crime, over her family, over us," she muttered sadly.

Kasumi could only nod, she felt the very same pain herself. "It does, and I _already_ miss her. But Nabiki chose the path that she felt was right for her, we don't have to support her decision, in fact, I'm almost certain that we _shouldn't_ in this case, but we still have to remember that she's our sister. All we can do now is pray that she never crosses that line that the Headmaster was talking about."

Akane nodded seriously in return, a far away look in her eyes. Then, against all odds, a strange look entered the girl's eyes, and she giggled!

"Heh, well, there is _one_ thing I know. I'm definitely not looking forward to telling _father_ about this, there's bound to be a _flood_ ," joked the young girl.

The brunette girl giggled herself, if only as an alternative to crying. "Oh my! You shouldn't say such things, Akane!" she scolded her sister in jest.

After that, the two of them sat in companionable silence, reflecting upon their wayward sibling, and where she might be now.

It was probably not the best time to talk to Akane about what she wanted to do; she didn't want to break her sister's heart again so soon. But she knew the longer she put it off, the harder it would make things in the end. She squeezed her sister again tightly, trying to build up the confidence to say what she needed to say.

"Ak-"

"This is all that _hussy_ Jinx's fault, anyway!" cursed her young sister, apparently out of nowhere.

"Excuse me?" she asked in confusion.

"That no good bimbo, Jinx! None of this would've happened if it hadn't been for her using poor Ryouga. Daddy told us how that little tramp pretended to be his fiancée, just so she could manipulate him into capturing you and Nabiki! I wish I _did_ get to fight that manipulative little bit-"

" _Akane_! You watch your mouth, right now!" she nearly yelled at her sister. Akane stared back at her, shock on her face.

"But Kasumi! That pink haired floozy took advantage of Ryouga, lied to him, and tricked him into thinking she liked him, just so she could use him. And you should have heard the things she said to me outside of the church!" fired back the angry young girl.

Kasumi let out a long sigh. Oh, Akane. If only her sister knew what really had gone on between Jinx and Ryouga. She sat in indecision for a moment, she really needed to talk to her sister... but she was grateful for any distraction at all right then. Maybe a few more minutes wouldn't hurt too much.

"Akane... I know it's hard for you to believe, but I got to know many of the students at the Hive Academy very well," she began slowly. She ignored the questioning look on her sister's face and continued. "I want to tell you a story, a story about a girl that I came to care for very much. Now this girl, she had done many terrible things, but to one boy, one special boy, she meant more than anything..."

With that, Kasumi began to tell Akane a familiar story, of a person that loved another, but sadly became trapped within a web of lies that quickly grew beyond their control.

She promised herself that she would tell Akane about her decision after she was done telling the story.

She promised.

* * *

Mousse stealthily opened his eye and glanced around the medical room. Most everything was a blur, of course, but he could see well enough to differentiate an empty bed from a full one. It seemed that after days of, first struggling with his shame, then waiting for an opportunity had finally paid off. Casually, he pulled a pair of glasses from his sleeve and perched them upon his nose, bringing the world into focus, or at least closer to it.

The room was empty, save one other person; everyone else had left when dinner was called. His prey, laying back in her bed, a heavy tome resting in her lap, was the fragile looking Raven. The girl appeared to be entranced with her reading, delicately turning the pages with a practiced finger. It was hard to reconcile this tiny young woman with the wrathful demon that he had battled... how long ago had it been now?

Quietly, he slipped out of his bed, and glided over to the girl's identical bed. He scanned the room and checked to door once more as he made his way over. Everything seemed to be clear, even his keen hearing couldn't detect anyone approaching the room. It hadn't taken him long to decide on this course of action, not really, considering what Cologne had told him of the dark young girl before him.

All too soon, he was hovering over the girl's bedside, staring down at her intently. Whether she had noticed him up to that point, she had given no sign, but now, her eyes rolled up to match his gaze. One of her eyebrows arched up, questioning him without the need to waste words. He didn't blame her for not wanting to speak with him, not considering their last meeting.

"I was wondering how long you were going to feign sleep. I really don't think you fooled anyone though," she muttered dryly.

He shrugged internally; he hadn't been trying to fool anyone, just biding his time. If he had wished people to believe him unconscious, then no one would have been the wiser. Instead, he nodded slowly, before sliding a hand deeper into one of his sleeves.

"Indeed," he said quietly, "Raven, I have something to give you."

With that, he withdrew the long, wicked looking dagger from his sleeve, letting the light play along its polished surface. He watched the look of fear leak into the girl's eyes, as her violet orbs followed the razor edge of the blade. He had to act quickly, before she panicked and lashed out at him. With a flick of his wrist, the deadly weapon flashed through the air, flipping once so that he could catch it neatly by the blade.

He then carefully offered the ivory laden handle to the surprised looking girl before him.

The young woman's shocked look quickly settled into an irate glare. "Was all of that _really_ necessary? And what is all of this about, what are you giving me a knife for?" she asked, obviously annoyed at his theatrics.

He matched her gaze, looking into her eyes with utter seriousness. "You misunderstand. I am not giving you a mere knife. I am giving you my _life_ ," his words were as hard as the steel in his hand.

Once again, Raven's face descended into shock. "W-what are you talking about? What do you expect me to do with _that_?" she demanded, pointing to the knife.

With gentle care, he took her hand and pressed the pommel of the knife into it. "My life is yours to do with as you please. However, because of the crimes I have committed against Amazon law, there is only one logical thing for you to do," he explained.

If anything, her look of shock only increased. "What? You want me to _kill_ you? Are you crazy? What could you have done to warrant that?"

He smiled, though it was a bit melancholy, then straightened up proudly. "Cologne explained to me, that you are currently under her protection, as well as the protection of the entire village. By attacking you, I violated sacred law and thus my life is forfeit. As well, she also explained the pivotal role that you played in the vote to bring change to our people," he said solemnly.

"As an Amazon male, I could never express the depth of my gratitude for what you helped to accomplish. Nor can I express the depths of my shame, knowing that I nearly killed the person that made it possible that, someday, my brothers and I may be treated as equals." His voice was thick with the emotions he was feeling, just thinking about that very concept. To be accepted, after all this time, even with his unusual martial skill.

Raven looked back at him in disbelief. "You're _that_ happy about being accepted into your village? Then you were practically _crying_ in joy the whole way back to the tower when you found out that Shampoo was still alive, and now the first thing you can think to do, is demand that I kill you for something you did while you were under the control of a madman?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged a bit sheepishly. "Well... I'm not exactly _demanding_ that you kill me... Cologne just explained that you would be _well_ within your rights to do so."

She rolled her eyes at that.

" _Ugh_! I swear, you martial artists are all such huge drama queens!" Raven carefully placed the blade of the dagger in her book, then closed the tome around the unusual bookmark. She glared at him once more. "You knew very well that I would never ask you to kill yourself. Did you _have_ to make such a big production out of it?"

He smiled weakly. "Well, there _are_ certain traditions for how these things are done. I couldn't exactly just wander over and say ‘oh, sorry 'bout the whole attempted murder thing, we cool?’" he said, doing his best Beast Boy impression. "Besides, all jokes aside, this is a profoundly serious matter. Though I know you would never demand my death, you still have the right to set any other punishment that you believe fits the scope of my dishonor. I will abide by whatever decision you make."

Having said his piece, the Hidden Weapons Master stepped back and awaited the girl's final decree. He certainly felt lucky that she was such a benevolent spirit. In fact, the girl looked ready to dismiss his punishment entirely.

Until a sly look suddenly settled upon her face. Mousse swallowed nervously, at the sinister look that began to spread across the girl's features.

"Hmm, now that I think of it, I _am_ going to be laid up for some time. I'm sure that I can find _something_ for you to do for the rest of your stay here to repay me," she said, smiling malevolently.

He tugged nervously at his collar at that.

Why did he have a feeling that the knife would have been more merciful?

* * *

The figure stealthily snuck into the apartment. Even though the window had been locked, the tiny mechanism had been no real obstacle to him. Without even a whisper of sound, he dropped to the floor and made his way through the domicile with practiced ease. With his honed senses, it took only a scant few seconds to find the location of his prey.

The bedroom door slid open just as silently as the window, he had been at this far too often to be foiled by something as simple as that. The gentle sound of breathing greeted his ears, signaling that the apartment's owner was present, but the pattern of the breathing indicated true sleep and not just feigned sleep.

A few more steps brought him up to his prey. A tiny leap took him to a good vantage point; he stared down at his target, marveling at the beauty. The gentle curves, the sensual scent that hung in the air. He leered at the prize that would be his, barely restrained lust on his masked face.

Oh yes, this woman's dresser was just _full_ of exotic lingerie!

Indeed, Happosai was starting to really enjoy his erstwhile trip to America now that he was free to do as he wished. The Headmaster had been kind enough to provide for his needs, for the most part, but he'd really missed the thrill of the hunt. He enjoyed the tiny jolt of adrenaline that he got, stealing away into forbidden places like this, pushing his skills always further towards perfection.

Quickly, though reverently, he began to place the more select items into his bag, extolling upon the virtues of each garment before storing them for a closer inspection later. Every pair of panties sent a small burst of ki into him, filling him with energy. A silky red number grabbed his attention; these American women possessed such risqué undergarments.

A few moments later, and his harvest was complete. He took one final look to the room's occupant, but the bulky comforter made it too hard to determine what kind of woman was in the bed. Not that it mattered, that wasn't what he was here for anyway. Groping Ranma was fun for several reasons, one of which was that he could defend himself.

He retraced his steps carefully, back to the window. Hmm, _that_ was what was missing though, keeping him from really enjoying himself. A small leap took him back up to the windowsill and he slipped through the narrow opening with ease. Yes, collecting his pretties was always a worthy endeavor, but he _did_ miss the fact that there was no one to even try to stop him here-

The aged master ducked his head to the side, just as a bladed object slammed into the concrete wall where his head had just been. He looked at the device out of the corner of his eye. What an odd-looking weapon, bright red and shaped like an odd sort of boomerang. An ancient smile began to curve his lips as he followed the path of the throw, back to its source.

"Hold it right there, old man! You're coming with me!" demanded the young man. The grand master cackled happily, as the form of the young boy (Robin was it?) became visible on a nearby rooftop. Maybe there was hope for this night after all.

" _Ohohoho_! What brings you out here tonight, little man? Isn't it past your bedtime?" he taunted, a joyfully mocking note in his voice. A single leap took him up to the same rooftop that the young hero was inhabiting.

The young man bristled slightly at his comment, his eye mask narrowing tightly. "Seems Cologne was right. Reports of breaking and entering have been building up over the past few days. We didn't hear anything about it though, at least until reports of just _what_ was being stolen started making it around," explained the boy sharply. "It didn't take long to figure out who was behind it, so Cologne sent me out to hunt you down."

Happosai's expression fell slightly at that. "What? Just you by yourself? This isn't going to be any _fun_ at all." he pouted, letting out a disappointed sigh. No longer enthused about the possibility of teaching a number of upstart would-be-heroes a few lessons, he turned to leap to another building. He was just about to jump when-

" _Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken!"_

The shout shocked him so much that he felt the first punch graze his whiskers, ever so lightly. After that though, the world became a blur as he ducked and weaved between the boy’s attacks. They were _pretty_ fast... he supposed, nowhere near Ranma's league, still... It _was_ the Chestnut fist, though an unrefined version, obviously he'd just learned it and wasn't used to it yet, but it was the genuine article all right.

All too soon, the boy's attacks stopped coming and the boy stumbled back a few paces, breathing heavily. Obviously, he didn't quite possess the stamina to completely master the technique yet, either. The old man's smile returned in force now, Cologne hadn't told him that she had taken on any new students! Maybe this child had more potential than was obviously apparent.

It had been awhile since he had had a new person to torment- um, _teach_ , the martial arts. Sure, he had taught Jinx a few tricks, clever girl, but that had mostly been energy manipulation. No, she'd gotten most of her lessons from Ryouga, and that boy was far too set in his ways to really begin training in the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. But here, _here_ it seemed like he had a potentially talented student. One with next to no _real_ training, one that he could _really_ indoctrinate into his school of martial arts.

The boy's chestnut fist was terrible, though, no stamina at all in the boy. Of course, there was always one good way to take care of _that_! He cackled happily again, as Robin shook off his fatigue and moved forward to attack again. Quickly, Happosai turned and started bouncing from rooftop to rooftop in a blur. He heard the startled gasp of his newest distraction and turned back for a moment to give the boy a properly motivating and inspirational remark.

"Catch me if you can, brat!"

Oh, the joys of teaching.

* * *

Ranma groaned in disgust at his current situation. Not so much that he was in a bad position, being comfortably seated between Akane and Shampoo on the massive Titan couch. Nor was it the company, since almost everyone was gathered for a midnight movie marathon. The only people missing were Raven, who was still in the medical wing, Mousse, who apparently was stuck with Raven for some reason, and Robin. Heck, he didn't even mind the fact that Cologne sent Robin off to chase down the old pervert himself, none of the girls wanted to do it, and he wasn't feeling up to it anyway. Besides, he officially considered himself to be on vacation now, let someone _else_ deal with the old goat.

No, what he couldn't stand was the fact that Beast Boy had chosen a kung fu movie marathon to watch.

Did that guy not get _enough_ just a few days ago? Not that Ranma didn't enjoy a good martial art flick every once in awhile, but for the most part they were kind of tame. And frankly, after fighting that Headmaster guy, well, even _he_ had his limits. He didn't even want to _think_ about fighting for a few more days.

On the screen, some actor performed an embarrassingly simple flying triple kick; he sighed in boredom. Why were these movies so unrealistic? He sought out his main rival, looking for the guy amongst the multitude of other bodies that surrounded him. He figured that if anyone would agree with him, it would be the only other martial artist that was... _close_... to him in skill.

Hmm, where _was_ Ryouga? He had just been sitting on the floor, resting his head on Starfire's knees, since the girl was on the couch right behind him. It still blew Ranma away, the fact that Ryouga was acting so casual around a girl, and he felt a bit of resentment as well. Had that been _him_ sitting there, no matter how innocently, a brawl would have erupted instantly. No one _ever_ believed him, and all his fiancées were overly jealous, they'd never let him act so friendly to any girl but them. They were already getting annoyed with the time that he spent with Raven, which ticked him off, considering what Ryouga, Raven and he had gone through together.

Nothing formed stronger bonds between people than fighting side by side with a person. Maybe that was why Ryouga got on with Starfire so well, she must have learned the _Hiryua Shoten Ha_ the same time he did, and if anyone knew the torturous process one had to go through to learn that, it was Ranma.

Ah! There, on the far side of the room, the door was just sliding closed, a flash of black and yellow gave away where his rival was. Again, he envied his rival’s easy exit, no one demanded to know where he was going, no one latched on to him and just _had_ to go where he went. Now the Saotome heir was going to have to figure a way out of this as well, not an easy task considering his current neighbors.

As casually as he could, he began to stand up, disguising it with a long yawn. Predictably, Akane shot him a look almost instantly. "Where are you going?" she asked.

On his other side, Shampoo grabbed his hand. "You going to bed? You want Shampoo come too?" she asked sweetly.

He groaned, as everyone began looking in their direction, especially at Shampoo's question. Beast Boy looked ready to say _something_ at least until Ukyou glared him into silence.

"Look, I'm goin to the bathroom, I'll be back soon," he grumbled loudly, annoyed that he had to explain himself to everyone. With that, he flipped over the couch and quickly moved out the door that his rival had taken.

As soon as he was out the door, he flipped out Cologne's communicator. He was gonna give it back _sometime_ , really. Ah, whatever, he quickly opened the device and used the tiny locater to find Ryouga's position. The other boy had a communicator of his own, though it was hexagonal rather than round. Man! Somehow in the three seconds he left the room, the Lost Boy was already three floors up, but at least he wasn't moving anymore.

He chuckled lightly, as he made his way to the elevator. When Robin had found out that Ryouga still possessed the Hive communicator, he had nearly had a spasm of indecision, deciding whether to destroy it, or to use it to spy on any of the remaining Hive people, notably Nabiki and her cohorts. Of course, when Ryouga had finally thought to ask about the device, he had demanded it back in a _most_ convincing manner. It hadn't mattered, anyway, Nabiki must have known he had it, since the device was already cut off from its existing network. It hadn't taken Cyborg too much trouble to rewire it to their frequency, since the Lost Boy had been very insistent that he wanted to keep it.

A few moments later, he found himself standing outside an unmarked door. It appeared to be, by some miracle, the room that Robin had set aside for Ryouga, for when the boy got well enough to leave the medical bay. Without thinking on it too much, he slid open the door and walked in. What he saw surprised him.

Ryouga was indeed in the room, sitting before the small personal computer that each of these rooms seemed to be equipped with. The bandanna clad boy obviously noticed his entrance, grunting for him to close the door, though he didn't even bother to turn around. It was a simple enough request, so he slid the door closed behind him and moved over to sit on the bed.

"So, what are ya workin on?" he asked out of mild curiosity.

Ryouga finally turned to face him, sighing a bit sadly. The boy's movement revealed the monitor, the screen seemed to be showing some form of map.

"I don't know. I was just looking over this project that I worked with Jinx on for class." The boy lifted his hexagonal communicator from the desk, a small wire ran from it to the box part of the computer. "Heh, you'd be surprised how many things you can use these things for. I don't know about your version, but ours doubles as a memory stick too. You know, for downloading data from a heist and stuff."

Ranma had to laugh. "Heh, you almost sound like you miss it, man." His laugh died though, at the look on his friend’s face.

"I – I know I shouldn't. I mean, I was a criminal, I did some _damn_ bad stuff. But still... there's a part of me that really enjoyed it. Not the bad stuff, just... just being there. It was like I was back in school again, only this time I had people that cared whether I got to class. Not to mention that everyone there was unusual in their own way, so - so I felt like I _belonged_ , ya know?" explained his sometime best friend.

He nodded in understanding; he knew all about standing out at school. The idea of being able to hang out with people like the Titans all the time, it had a certain appeal to it.

"Don't worry 'bout it. From what I've heard from Kunou and Bumble Bee, I think I woulda liked to go there myself. It sounded like it would have been fun. Heh, could you imagine, the two of us goin to school with all of the crazy people we know?" he trailed off, smiling at the whimsical vision in his head.

The Lost Boy seemed to consider his crazy idea, before laughing a bit himself. While Ryouga was distracted, he leaned in to get a closer look at what his rival was working on. It looked to be some sort of presentation.

"So, you actually learned how to use a computer there?"

"Yeah, mostly thanks to Jinx helping me out," replied his friend. The boy's face fell somewhat at the latest mention of her name though. "She actually said I had a knack for it... like a hidden talent, I guess. It-it felt nice, you know, impressing her like that, being able to impress her with _something_ besides my martial arts. And, when you think about it, it's a skill that I might be able to use later, to do something with."

Feeling a bit of a need to show off, Ranma leaned over and minimized the program that the presentation was running in. Then, before Ryouga could demand to know what he was doing, he clicked onto the web browser and brought up one of the sites that he had found on the Titans. Ryouga stared at him, then the website, then back again, obviously surprised.

"Heh, yeah, this whole kidnapping thing pushed me to go a bit outside my comfort zone, too. We were at a _total_ dead end on how to find you, so Akane eventually figured out that we could use the internet. Took a bit, but I eventually learned how to do this kinda stuff," he stated, a bit proudly.

His friend nodded, minor-ly impressed as well. "Not bad, it's good to know there's room in your brain for things besides martial arts and your ego," replied his friend, laughing lightly.

He bonked the irritating boy in the back of the head, lightly mind you, to shut the boy up.

"Hardy har har." He dropped into a serious voice as he continued. "But seriously, Ryouga, how are you holding up? We all went through some bad stuff, but the things that happened to you... I don't even want to _imagine_ what you musta been goin through back in the church. Are – are you sure you're okay man?" he asked seriously.

He wanted to make sure that his best friend was all right, the boy had gone through enough to drive any man over the edge. And frankly, Ryouga was way too close to that edge at the best of times.

Ryouga matched his gaze for a moment, before breaking away from his stare, to look at his hands. The boy clenched and unclenched his hands into tight fists, staring at them with bitter sadness. "I... I don't really know, Ranma. I just feel numb lately; I've felt happy, sad, angry, but it's all been... muted, like I'm not really feeling it myself. I don't know if it has anything to do with the size of that Shi Shi Houkodan that I generated or if I'm still just not ready to deal with it all yet, but - but I just don't know..."

Absently, Ryouga reopened the project that he was working on, and started to scan through some of the text. "Heh, can you believe that Jinx was so impressed with how well I was learning, that she decided to let me handle the deployment part of the project. She put me in charge of finding the best insertion points, finding the best routes to take."

The Saotome boy couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Man! You didn't _tell_ her? Ryouga, only _you_ could be so stubborn about your problem, that you'd rather do all that work, than ask for help. Heh, so what did she do when she saw what a mess you were makin?" he asked eagerly.

His friend twiddled his thumbs sheepishly at his question. "Um... she was actually so proud of me, that she didn't even bother to check my work at all. She didn't find out until the class presentation."

This time, he was able to hold in his laugh, if only to spare his rival any further embarrassment. "Sounds like she really believed in you," he replied kindly.

The Hibiki boy nodded, a ghost of a smile on his face. "Maybe she did." The smile on his friend's face warmed Ranma's heart slightly. Ryouga obviously still had feelings for Jinx, which was a good thing. Not to mention, if the boy still had something to hope for, it was his best hope to resist slipping into complete despair, or at least that was what he figured after talking to Raven.

But just as quickly as it appeared, the boy's smile faded away, revealing bitter hurt. "But it doesn't matter anymore, does it? She abandoned me, left me in the hands of the Headmaster, left me to _die_."

Ranma gasped in shock, what was the guy saying? How did he even know what had happened?

"Beast Boy filled me in last night; he and Starfire told me what happened while I was out. Beast Boy told me how Jinx jumped through the portal," growled the Lost Boy.

Ranma rolled his eyes in disgust and growled a bit himself. Apparently, Beast Boy hadn't bothered to tell Ryouga _everything_ that Jinx had done before she had jumped through the portal _Argh_! Of all the people for Ryouga to hear the story from, he would get it from the one person that had, like, _no idea_ of what was going on at all between anyone that had been involved with Jinx's departure.

His annoyance only grew, as the Lost Boy continued his rant. "Not that it surprised me, that she would choose her _own safety_ over helping me. She's a _villain_ after all, why would she care about anyone but herself-"

A sharp crack split the air, bringing a dead silence hot on its heels. Ryouga stared at him, disbelief on his features. "You – you _slapped_ me," he said, utterly confused.

Ranma stared at his own hand, not quite believing it himself. "I... I did," he replied, just as confused. He didn't _slap_ people, girls slapped people, guys didn't slap other guys.

"Well? Why the heck did you hit me?" queried the irate boy, his fangs showing dangerously now.

He let out a long sigh. It was times like this that he hated taking his honor so seriously, it always made things more complicated than they needed to be. "I wish I could tell you."

"What the heck is _that_ supposed to mean?" growled the boy, getting angrier by the second. "You don't even know _why_ you slapped me?"

He knew exactly why he hit the boy now, but it was just like he said, he wished he could tell the boy why he had done it. "Look, Ryouga, I just don't think you should be talkin bad about Jinx like that. I mean, didn't you two have a lot of good times together?"

Ryouga looked at him a bit suspiciously. "What's it to you? I thought she loved me, but apparently, making a break for it was more important than staying with me. After all, Beast Boy said-"

"Beast Boy didn't say _nearly_ _enough,_ apparently!" he said, interrupting Ryouga. "Look, Ryouga, I know for a fact that you don't believe that _crap_ you're sayin right now. It's just your anger talkin."

Man, he hated when Ryouga got like this, jumping to conclusions without the aid of anything even resembling facts. He just wanted to shout the truth in his friend’s face, to get everything out in the open, for once in his life.

"What the heck are you talking about, Ranma? What do you care what I say about Jinx? You don't even know her," shot back Ryouga, still upset.

"Yeah, well maybe I know all that I _need_ to know about her to know that you're not bein fair to her. Do you really think that she just abandoned you like that, for no reason?"

The fanged boy glared at him, not quite certain where he was going with this new line of questioning. "What are you getting at, Saotome? You're acting really strange, is there something that you're not telling me?"

He sighed painfully at the boy's rather pointed question. How easy it would be, to just explain everything, but he had _promised_. Still, that had never stopped him from dropping not-so-subtle hints in the past. Maybe the bacon brained martial artist would be able to piece the puzzle together himself.

"I've told you everything I can, though I bet a few other people could tell you a heck of a lot more than _Beast Boy_ could. But I do have one question for you, Ryouga. Just how exactly do you think it was possible for me to find you in all of the rubble of that church, especially considering the condition I was in even by the time you finally woke up?" he asked cryptically.

Ryouga looked at him strangely, trying to figure out what he meant. He couldn't blame the boy for not understanding the question, after all, no one else thought to ask that very same question. While Ryouga was still pondering what he had said, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny treasure that he had been holding for the past several days.

"I found something else in the rubble, something that I have a strange feeling that you would want," he added, just as cryptically. He took the boy's hand and carefully placed the tiny item onto the boy's palm and closed his fingers around it. He then released Ryouga's hand, and let the boy take the tiny prize.

Ryouga's strange stare didn't alter in the slightest, until he finally looked down to regard his own closed hand. With subdued curiosity, the boy slowly unfurled his loose fist, revealing the tiny item. Suddenly, the boy's fist closed tightly, but carefully enough not to destroy its contents. Ryouga looked up at him glaring daggers and nearly snarling. "How could you have _possibly_ known what this meant to me? How on earth did you even _find_ this in all of that rubble?" demanded the shocked boy.

Ranma just replied airily. "I found it the same way that I found you, and that's _all_ I can say."

His rival looked almost ready to push the issue, violently, but then deflated visibly. Slowly all the anger and pain seemed to drain from the boy and his hand opened once more; revealing the tiny item that it contained.

The broken off head of a tiny unicorn figurine, the horn stained red while the rest was a flawless, ivory white.

"Look, Ryouga, I know that you're upset, and you have every damn right to be. But – but just don't think poorly of Jinx, alright?" he finally asked. His voice rang with quiet sincerity, and it seemed to finally reach his distraught companion.

Ryouga just stared at the remains of the tiny figurine, several emotions that Ranma couldn't name running through his eyes. After a long but comfortable silence, the boy finally looked up to face him. "I still don't know what you're talking about... but - but you're right. Jinx doesn't deserve what I said about her. Ranma... thank you for this. I think you might know just how much this means to me."

Ranma shrugged in reply. "Hey, what do I know from tiny horses? But still, if it's _that_ important to ya, you could always pay me back by showin me how to actually use a computer in a manner which is not primarily used to procure porn," he said, earning a chuckle from his friend.

"Heh, but Ranma, didn't you know, that’s what the internet is _for_? But yeah, sure, I'd be glad to show you what I learned. Hmm, maybe after this, I can show you how to disable an electronic security system, it's all in the wrist, you know," replied his friend, a wide smile on his face now.

A small laugh escaped his lips at his friend’s turn in mood. He was glad that his rival was feeling better, and that security system thing sounded cool. Still, there was a nagging thought at the back of his mind, the same thought that had been floating around the edges of his thoughts for the past several days.

What had become of Jinx?

* * *

Four days earlier -

Jinx watched in horror as the entire church began to crumble under the awesome force of the tornado.

"Ryouga is _still in there_!" she screamed in terror. She couldn't even see the boy anymore, not since those two _'heroes'_ created that damned twister right on the despairing boy's head! How could they _abandon_ him like that?

Ryouga was going to die!

 _No_! No, she wouldn't allow it! While everyone was still mesmerized by the morbid scene before them, a primal instinct blasted through what passed for her common sense. The desperate sorceress spun quickly and grabbed the person closest to her and dragged him forcefully through the nearest door.

As soon as she was through, she closed the door and locked it behind them. She then turned on her companion and stared into his flat red eyes with near manic intensity.

"Kyd Wykkyd, send me to him, _now_!" she shouted, her voice tearing painfully.

The black clad boy looked back at her, shaking his head, and staring at her like she was insane. Maybe she was, but that didn't change anything! She grabbed his arms and shook him angrily.

" _Do it_! Or I swear to the Goddess that you won't live to regret it!" she demanded.

The boy raised his hands up to his side in a sign of helplessness. The saddened look on his face almost registered to her, but not quite.

"It's _not_ too late, you know damn well where he was last, just send me there, I'll take care of the rest!"

She felt her eyes begin to glow with chaotic pink energy and noticed tendrils of smoke begin to rise from where she was clutching the taller boy's uniform. Rather than let go, she intensified the glow of energy around her hands. Maybe that would motivate her reluctant companion.

If the boy noticed the pain, he gave no sign. Instead, he matched her gaze, his stare becoming deadly serious. He seemed to weigh her very soul with his eyes. After a moment, a horrifyingly long moment, the boy looked away sadly.

With hardly any effort, Kyd Wykkyd shrugged out of her hold and stepped back several feet. She was about to ask what he was doing, when he lifted his arm dramatically, trailing his ebony cloak with it. Suddenly, the howl of elemental fury filled the entire chamber, as a portal to the heart of the tornado opened beneath the boy's outstretched arm.

She was nearly blown back by the force of the wind that surged out of the aperture; only sheer willpower seemed to keep her from being tossed around the room like the rest of its unfortunate contents. A small piece of stone suddenly fired out of the portal, just grazing her face, and colliding against the wall far behind her with a loud bang! For just a fraction of a second, she doubted what she was doing. Did - did she _really_ want to go in _there_ , when just this tiny glimpse filled her mind with terror?

A flash of Ryouga's beautiful face tore through her mind. Instantly her doubt vanished. Just as her teleporting friend looked like he wouldn't be able to hold the portal open for another second, she ran forward, pushing against the screaming winds with everything that she was. One step was followed by another; slowly she built up speed as she moved to the portal that was, in all reality, only a few short feet in front of her. And with one last, desperate lunge, she flew into the heart of the maelstrom.

If Jinx thought that what had been unleashed in the room was even a glimpse of what awaited her, she was utterly and completely wrong.

The instant that she crossed the event horizon, her entire world was cast into a chaos she had never even imagined. Suddenly she was assaulted by a thousand sensations, each one of them painful, all intent on ending her life.

Her eyes were nearly blinded by an emerald glare which encompassed everything. The strength of the winds instantly sent her hurtling round and round, tumbling her in every direction possible, even as the powerful vacuum tried to steal what little air she had left in her lungs. Then there were the remains of the church itself, she writhed in pain, as tiny pieces of shrapnel tore at her skin, how long would it be before some larger piece smashed her brains out? Most disturbing of all, she could _feel_ the winds around her _tearing_ into her life force, feeding upon her energy!

What had she been _thinking_? How could she possibly find the boy that she loved so deeply in the heart of this monstrous construct? She couldn't even use her meager abilities to ‘sense’ where he was; this whole damn twister felt like her would-be fiancé!

A flash of movement in front of her caught her attention. She squealed and lashed out with a burning hex, just in time to vaporize the huge chunk of wood that seemed to materialize out of the glare around her. Her victory was short lived, as a heavy piece of _something_ slammed painfully into her thigh, sending her flying head over heels.

Acting on instinct, she started firing off hexes to stop her crazed rotation, soon enough she was upright once more, riding the winds wildly around the cyclone. She kept an eye out for any larger debris, but she still winced in pain as she was stuck almost constantly by smaller fragments that tore into her delicate skin.

What was she going to do? Even if she could avoid the deadlier pieces, these small ones could just as likely finish her, and she wasn't sure how long she could last before this thing drained her to the point of losing conscience. If that were to happen, her death would likely follow soon after-

Again, she screamed, desperately firing off more of her precious energy, using the blasts to launch her over a section of oaken beam at least two feet thick! Her escape was so narrow, that she had to get a foot onto the lumber and kick off it to get completely out of the way.

Wait! There was one chance! Even as she looked around everywhere for her boy, she carefully pulled her communicator from her pocket, holding it tightly and clutching it protectively to her chest. She only prayed that it hadn't been damaged in any of their battles. Oh, so carefully, she flipped open the device, making damn sure that the wind didn't tear it from her grasp.

There! Thank the Goddess! Ryouga's communicator was still functioning; she was getting a signal from it! He was still in the cyclone, with her, but he was at least a hundred feet above her! It seemed utterly impossible... how on earth could she reach the boy, when he was _so far_ away? A hundred feet might as well have been a hundred miles at this point.

Wait again! The thought of her last narrow escape rushed back into her mind. It was insane, but it was her only hope, besides, wasn't this the kind of stuff that she trained for? Clutching her lifeline tightly in hand, the sorceress girl stopped trying to avoid the remains of the church.

Now she was avidly searching for it.

It was an arduous process, finding debris large enough to suit her purpose, then actually positioning herself to use the objects as steppingstones up into the sky. She was nimble, she was skilled, and she was damn well determined! Each jump was a minor victory, every miss a painful reminder of just how dire her situation was.

It felt like she was leaping forever, soon her mind began to grow unfocused... her world going fuzzy. Her body seemed to be running on automatic, repeated impacts and continued blood loss were taking their toll on her already battered body. She had no idea how much longer she would be able to keep going, she could hardly even generate the hexes she needed to move around, the incessant pull of the monstrosity that contained them still draining her life away.

A small vibration in her hand caught her attention, pulling her out of her near mindless state for a moment. The vibration occurred again, and she looked down to the small device in her hand. It was blinking now, and was likely beeping, though she could not hope to hear it.

She was close! He was somewhere around her! She looked all around her; all pain forgotten in her excitement. Where was he? He couldn't be too far, unless - unless he had _lost_ his communicator in the storm! She didn't even dwell on that possibility, lest she give up what little hope she had left. Wait-

 _There_! She could see him, just barely through the glare of the tornado's hellish energy. With one last burst of her energy, she flew in his direction. She collided with the boy painfully, as suddenly a hundred tiny injuries made themselves known once more. Without a care to that, she desperately wrapped her body around the boy, embracing him with all her strength. She buried her head into his shoulder, tears flowing freely now as she cried in joy.

"Ryouga, I've got you; it'll be alright now," she whispered uselessly. The boy was already unconscious, though she could feel the beat of his heart, nearly in time with her own. There was only one thing left for her to do; praying that it would work, she hit the emergency beacon on her communicator.

Then she forgot the tiny device, and just let herself melt away into the arms of the boy she loved. If this were the way it was going to be, then she would be happy to have these last moments with him. She only hoped that she wouldn't let go, as the world began to darken around her once more.

Her morbid thoughts were interrupted by a powerful hand closing around her shoulder!

* * *

Ranma stared at the massive mound of rubble that his ultimate attack left in its wake. The final wisps of the tornado's winds were finally dying away, leaving uncountable shards of debris hanging weightless in the air. That only lasted for a moment, before the stone rain began to fall, crashing into the rubble with merciless abandon.

It was about that point, that he realized that he had just murdered his best friend...

Even if the Lost Boy had managed to survive the attack, survive being buried alive, simply survive his injuries from their fights, this rain of stone and mortar seemed to be an almost obscene and unnecessary finale. Almost as if the gods wanted to make sure that he understood, intimately, that there was no way that his friend could have survived.

Of course, he had saved countless lives by doing so, his friends were certain to remind him of that again and again in the future. But it hardly seemed like any consolation now. He didn't even notice when the two flying girls took off to try to minimize the damage, there was nothing they could do to help Ryouga now anyway.

"Ranma?" Akane's voice sounded gently from behind him. "We... we should go now, you and Raven are hurt, we need to get you to a hospital." Her words were filled with compassion and sadness, but he knew that she didn't understand what was going through his mind at that moment.

"You... you guys go on ahead. I just... need some time to think," he muttered in reply. He didn't even have the energy left to argue; instead, he just simply dropped down to his knees and stared at the scene before him.

"Ranchan, you really should have your injuries looked at, you're in pretty rough shape." He felt a soft hand come to rest on his shoulder, gently trying to pull him away from the devastated area.

Suddenly, he just snapped, he couldn't take all the concern for his well being, not after what he had just done to his friend! He spun around and knocked Ukyou's hand away angrily. "Just leave me alone! Can't you guys ever try to understand _my_ feelings for once? Do you always have to force what you think is ‘best for me’?" he barked angrily. He didn't mean it, not really, but it just felt so good to lash out at anyone, everyone.

The poor chef stepped back, shock on her face. All around her, people turned to stare, uncertain looks on their faces. The look of hurt on Ukyou's face, and Akane's as well, stung him, but at that instant, he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Don't even try it, Cologne." he whispered icily, not even turning to acknowledge the ancient staff that was floating only an inch above one of the pressure points on the back of his neck. "You'll have to kill me if you want to move me," he threatened, channeling a bit of the 'Soul of Ice' into it. A moment later, he sensed the staff move away from his vulnerable neck.

"Son in law, you are being a fool... but if that is your wish, then so be it," muttered the old woman.

Robin walked up and looked down at him. The two of them held the gaze for a moment, before the boy spoke. "We don't have time to argue with you. Raven is seriously hurt. Just signal us with this when you're ready," offered the boy quietly. The masked hero then tossed him his communicator and turned to walk away. He was soon followed by the rest of the costumed heroes, as well as Kunou and Mousse.

Akane, Ukyou and Shampoo lingered for several moments, staring at him sadly. His words had hurt them, he could tell, but he just needed to be alone; didn't want to be surrounded by their petty arguments in the face of what he had just done to Ryouga.

Slowly, he turned around, back to the huge tomb that he had created for his closest rival. A few moments later, he heard the uncertain steps of his fiancées, as they finally left him to his contemplations.

He lost track of how long he knelt there, just remembering all the times that he had crossed paths with Ryouga. How much the Lost Boy aggravated him, with his constant fights, his nonsense grudges and his constantly masquerading as Akane's pet. And how much the fanged warrior had helped him out, had pushed him to increase his own skills. Had anyone, anywhere, ever possessed such a strange friend?

His train of thought was derailed by the quiet approach of footsteps. Still not feeling up to company, he growled out angrily. "I thought I told you to leave me alone?"

"Yeah? Well do I look like someone that gives a _damn_ what you say?" barked back the number two voice on his list of people he never thought to see again.

He spun around, woozily, to stare in surprise at Jinx. Only to collapse in complete shock, when he saw the figure that was heavily draped across her shoulder. The sight of Jinx, bloody and bruised, with an unconscious Ryouga Hibiki being barely held up at her side, it was too much for him to take in. All he could do was stare stupidly as she struggled arduously to drag the insensate boy several more feet toward him.

"Oh, for _crying out loud_! Would you get over and _help_ me with this guy? He weighs a ton!" she finally shouted in frustration. Her words snapped him to his senses, and he jumped up and helped her move the boy a few more feet before they finally laid him down on a relatively clear piece of the street. The first thing that he did was check the boy for a pulse, which he found soon after, weak but present. He didn't even know what to say.

"He's – You're – what – _how_?" he stuttered randomly, trying to piece together a complete sentence.

Slightly irate, the girl smacked him across the back of the head, causing them both to wince in pain at the contact.

"How do you _think_ I found him? _Someone_ had to do something after you and that orange skinned _bimbo_ left him for dead in there," she replied, her voice filled with bitterness.

He ducked his head at her sharp words, but there was some truth to them. "We tried to save him... we really did. But we _had_ to do it, too many lives were at stake," he admitted sadly. He couldn't quite bring himself to look at the villainous girl.

Her next words surprised him though. "I – I know. That's the only reason that brought him back here. He doesn't deserve a criminal like me, if... if _I_ had been in your place, I likely would have just grabbed him and ran, I wouldn't have even _thought_ about all of those other people," she said, her voice heavy with shame.

Ranma looked back at her, disbelief on his face. "What? Doesn't deserve you? You just jumped into the heart of the biggest _Hiryua Shoten Ha_ in the history of the _world_ just to save his butt! You just risked your _life_ to save his, when no one else was willing to even _try_ , and now your trying to tell me that you're just an unfeeling crook?" he asked incredulously.

Her eyes filled with surprise at his reply. "B-but -"

"But what? _Look_ at you! You still have pieces of _church_ sticking out of you!" He gestured to the multitude of tiny pieces of shrapnel that were caught in the girl's clothing and skin. Gods, she must have been in as much pain as _he_ was in after fighting the Headmaster. "I don't know hardly nothin about you, but I do know this. Anyone crazy enough to willingly jump into something like that, just to save someone they cared about, can _not_ be a bad person. If that was all I knew about ya, that would be enough for me to respect ya. But he... _he_ _loves_ ya." He pointed to the boy lying on the ground between him. "He loves ya for real, and anyone that's important to Ryouga, is someone that I would gladly consider to be a friend."

The girl's terrifying eyes filled with crystal tears at his words and she clasped her hands tightly over her heart for a moment. Slowly, the heartfelt look slipped away, replaced by a serious expression. "That- that means a _lot_ to me. But, as a friend, can you promise me something?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged. "Uh... sure, I suppose. I can keep a promise," he offered, curious to hear what she would say.

She smiled sadly after he spoke. "Good, then... I want you to promise not to tell _anyone_ what I did for Ryouga today."

The martial artist sputtered incoherently. "W-w- _what_! Why on earth would you want me to do _that_? You saved his life! You'd be a friggin _hero_ ; Ryouga will love you till the sun burns out when I tell him how you saved him. Hell, if Robin, or anyone tries to arrest you, I'll pound their faces in myself!" he cried in confusion. Why on earth would she want that?

"That's just it, I _can't_ go back with you, Ranma. I've done too much stuff; there's no way the Titan's would let me go free. They'd be wrong to anyway, I'm a criminal after all.” She smiled that sad smile again as she spoke. “I don't expect you to understand, you're just like Ryouga: a little dumb... in a sweet way."

" _Jinx_! Everyone thinks that you _abandoned_ him, they'll likely tell that to Ryouga too. There's no way I can let that happen, not after you nearly killed yourself just to save the moron! I gotta tell him!" He couldn't believe what she was saying!

The young sorceress glared at him. "You can't! You _promised_ you wouldn't tell anyone!"

Once again, he was sputtering incoherently. "But – but – Ryouga, You... _Damn_!" Dammit, he did it _again_! Why did people make him keep these stupid promises? He just knew, that if Ryouga and Jinx could just speak about this, that everything would work out. Why were girls always so _stupid_? " _Fine_! Fine, I won't tell anyone, but I think you're makin a huge mistake."

She spoke quietly, her voice quivering with pain. "Maybe... maybe I am. But Ryouga deserves someone better than me. I think that Raven has a better chance at making him happy than I ever could. They both deserve some happiness in their lives... and maybe without me in the way... they can find it."

Ha! Not if _he_ had anything to say about it! There was no way he was going to let this girl's self sacrifice be for nothing. He couldn't say what she had done, but he was sure he could find a way around that. He was tired of people taking advantage of the fact that he wasn't a stinkin liar like his pops.

"Of course, I'm sure they'll both be _very_ happy," he replied, a bit too cheerfully.

Jinx stared at him a bit strangely for a moment, but then dismissed it. She looked down at the unconscious boy one more time. She gently ran her hand down the boy's face, caressing his cheek lovingly. Ranma stared on, a little jealous, but mostly sad for his friend. Absently, Jinx focused on her arm, as she reached down to Ryouga.

Apparently, something caught her attention, and in a grizzly display, she used her free hand to pluck one of the pieces of shrapnel from her arm. She held it up before her, looking at it in morbid fascination. It looked to Ranma, like a tiny horse’s head, but for some reason it had an even tinier horn growing from its forehead. The girl then wiped it off a bit on her shirt, to no real effect, then handed it to him.

"Can you give this to him? Just – just as a memento, I guess. I think he might know what it means," she asked hopefully.

He looked at the tiny piece of figurine, before putting it carefully into a pocket. "Yeah, no problem. So, what are you gonna do now?"

She seemed to ignore his question, staring once again at Ryouga's still face. Then, surprising him greatly, she leaned down and pressed her lips to the fanged boy's lips. The pink haired girl lingered for several moments, lost in the kiss, before she finally broke it off and sat up once more. She stared at him, a hint of a smile on her lips now.

"And you definitely can't tell Raven about _that_ , okay?" she joked. He just smiled and chuckled, not understanding this girl. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do, I told Nabiki and the others that I needed some time to myself. I think I might use that time to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life."

The pigtailed boy nodded that seemed like a good an idea as any. Maybe she would come to her senses and get back together with Ryouga, too.

At that, Jinx rose to her feet and began to move away. But not before leaning down and planting a tender kiss on his forehead. Ranma reeled at the contact, her lips were so soft, but so cool; for some reason though, it made him feel a little better as well. Then Jinx stood back up, winked at him playfully, and walked towards the nearest alleyway.

"It probably doesn't mean anything coming from me, but I wish you... luck, with your life," she offered kindly; one last parting comment over her shoulder before she vanished between a pair of buildings.

Ranma could only sit by his unconscious friend, staring in wonder at the girl that had just left. He really wished that he had gotten to know the girl better, even though her eyes scared the heck out of him. He had never felt sadder for his friend, than at that moment.

He didn't even notice the disturbingly large pool of red liquid that remained on the ground where Jinx had been sitting. He probably wouldn't have thought anything of it anyway, heck, most of it was probably Ryouga's.

...Right?

* * *

Jinx stumbled into the alleyway, thankful to finally be out of the pigtailed boy's line of sight. She lurched several more feet into the opening, just to make sure, before the pain finally overwhelmed her. With an agonized whine, she slumped against the wall and slowly slid down until she was sitting on the ground.

Gingerly, she lifted the hem of her skirt, just enough to reveal the jagged piece of wood that had impaled her pale thigh. She hissed in pain, just looking at the thing; it burned like fire and was oozing a rather steady stream of red liquid. There wasn't anything she could do about it, though, so she just dropped her skirt and tried her best to forget about it.

She leaned back against the wall, resting her weary head against the rough bricks. It was really for the best this way. She knew that Raven and Ryouga would be happy together, and it was better that Ryouga thought she abandoned him. That way, he would never come looking for her, and besides him, no one would ever notice her absence.

Her eyes began to droop closed, and she did nothing to stop it. She supposed she should feel a little bad for lying to Gizmo and Mammoth, telling them that she would only be gone for a few days, but it just didn't seem to be that important anymore.

Absently, she noticed she was starting to feel a little lightheaded, but it was nice, seemed to take the pain away with it... The darkness was soothing too, no distracting flashes of vision disturbing her little nap.

As the world faded to black, one last time, she had only one real complaint...

... why was...

... she...

... so...

... cold?

* * *

The tiny unicorn fragment continued to turn over and over and over in his hand. He'd lost track of how long it had been since Ranma had left, hours maybe? A tiny beam of refracted light caught his eye, as the tiny piece of glass twisted just so in the light. It drew his attention to the source of the light, the rising sun outside the window.

He chuckled lightly at that, had he been sitting up all night, just considering what Ranma had said? The pigtailed boy had stayed with him for nearly two hours, as the two of them tinkered around on the computer, just passing the time as friends. But as soon as the boy had left, Ryouga had been lost in a haze of memory.

Oddly, he didn't really feel tired at all, or hungry... He did _feel_ though, he had felt it throughout the night, the incremental return towards his normal state of mind. He wasn't there yet, but at least he didn't feel numb all the time anymore. He felt sad, he would have been worried if he hadn't considering what he had lost. He felt depressed, perhaps a little more than usual, but nothing that disturbed him. But he couldn't say that he really felt bad, not after spending two nights in a row just talking with his friends. Ranma and Starfire, they had both gone a long way to making him feel better.

And this tiny unicorn... he didn't know why, but it made him feel better. He could almost swear, that he could still sense just a tiny fragment of - of _her_ within it. He wasn't feeling the tight knot of bitterness that he had been holding onto since speaking with Beast Boy either. Ever since his talk with his rival, he just couldn't bring himself to think ill of her.

A gentle knock at his door shocked him completely out of his contemplative trance; nearly causing him to drop his tiny treasure!

He took a second to gather his wits, before he got up to answer the door. With a swish, the door opened to reveal the smiling face of Kasumi. To say he was a bit surprised was an understatement. What could she want at this hour? Still, it was Kasumi, so anything but polite just wasn't an option.

"Um... come on in, Kasumi. How can I help you?" he asked.

The eldest Tendo bowed politely, then entered the room. She took a moment to look around, then paced around a bit, which he found to be a bit curious, until she finally came to sit on his bed. Though she never lost her smile, she seemed to be... nervous? Hmm, but that didn't really reconcile with what he knew of the girl at all.

She didn't seem very forthcoming yet, so he decided to try again. He leaned casually against the wall and caught the girl's eyes. "So, Kasumi, what brings you by so early?"

"Well... um, last night, after you and Ranma left, everyone decided to take a day out on the town today, since everyone is heading back to Japan tomorrow. We were just wondering if you wanted to come as well?" she asked happily.

Something odd was going on around here, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "And you felt the need to tell me this before six A.M.?"

If he put her off, she gave no sign. "Well, they did plan out a rather long list of things to do. All the girls want to go shopping and visit several restaurants and clubs. I think there is also a visit to a zoo and a theme park included. Really, it will be a busy day," she beamed happily.

"That sounds... like a day that a bunch of girls would have planned," he conceded. "I don't think I'm really up for running around the mall or the zoo with everyone today, could you please tell everyone that I'll pass on today. I hope you aren't offended?" he asked, sincerely hoping that she wasn't. He just couldn't picture himself acting all happy and prancing around with a bunch of giddy girls. Especially if most of them were going to be mooning over Ranma anyways, that would probably be just a bit too much for him so soon.

"Oh, well I'm sure you can keep Raven and Mousse company, since they aren't able to go on the trip." she stated, a bit less sunnily.

He looked at her, noting the odd expression on her usually beatific face. "Kasumi, you knew that I wasn't going to go on this trip from the start, didn't you?" he asked a bit suspiciously.

Her initial response was to simply nod, not quite matching his gaze. "I did, but it's always polite to ask, regardless." Then she looked away, wringing her hands ever so casually. "But... but there is another matter I would like to discuss with you, one that I think involves both of us."

"Sure, Kasumi, you can talk to me about anything, after all this time, how could I offer anything less," he replied. Kasumi had always been there for everyone, lending her an ear was quite literally the least he could do to repay that. She was acting a bit odd though.

"Thank you. There is one thing I wanted to ask you first though..." she started off, staring at him quietly.

"... what do you plan to do after all of this?"

* * *

Robin dragged himself off his R-Cycle and started to stagger for the elevator door that led from the garage up to the main tower. He was utterly and totally drained! To think, he had spent the _entire_ night chasing down that dried up, grizzled old – old... _man_ , he needed to devise a new curse word to describe that old coot.

Chasing Happosai had been like trying to catch the wind. No matter what he did, no matter how close he got, just when he thought he had the old man, he slipped through his fingers like he'd never been. It was about the time that he noticed the sun starting to rise, that he realized that there was no way he was going to catch the old goat that night. About the only upside to the whole fiasco, was that the old man hadn't had the chance to snatch anymore underwear with him on his tail.

After what felt like forever, he finally reached the elevator door. He was going to sleep for the rest of the week if he had it his way. He was just about to push the button -

When the elevator dinged loudly, and the doors slid open before him. Suddenly he was besieged by a flood of bodies pouring out of the elevator and trying to crush him. A choir of voices came flooding out of the elevator with the herd.

"Hey! What's going on?" he yelled out, just to stop from getting trampled.

"Robin! There you are! You must accompany us on this day of shopping and fun!" came Starfire's voice from the crowd. She followed it soon after, sailing through the crowd to latch onto his arm. His heart skipped a beat, as he saw the stunning and simple yellow sun dress the girl was wearing. Wait, day of shopping? Now that he thought about it, everyone certainly looked... touristy, this morning. Pretty much everyone was present, except Ryouga, Raven and that long haired guy, Mousse.

"Star... you know what, you guys all go and have fun. Personally, I'm dead on my feet, I'd only slow you down," he replied, valiantly ignoring how cute his best friend looked at that moment. "Besides, someone should be 'on call' just in case."

A few minutes, and several requests from Starfire for him to change his mind, and he was finally on his way up to the tower. He hoped they all had fun, since all their Japanese and Chinese guests were planning on leaving the next day. The only one that was still laid up in the medical bay was Raven, and as fast a healer as she was, she'd likely be there for awhile yet. Hmm, on that train of thought, he decided to take a detour past the medbay, both to check on his friend and to get some band aids for himself. Happi hadn't exactly been an overly gentle dance partner.

If he ever even _saw_ another pipe in his life... That was it, he was going to start a new anti smoking law, if only to make sure those cursed things were outlawed.

Of course, life being as crazy as it had been lately, the scene that greeted him when he entered the medbay almost didn't surprise him at all. And considering what he saw, that worried him somewhat.

Raven was in the Medbay, of course, laying comfortably in her bed. That was just as he expected, it was everything _else_ that threw him for a loop. All the lights were dimmed to barely mood lighting. All the other beds were no longer empty, instead they were now covered with dozens and dozens of ancient old tomes. There were several candles lit and placed strategically around the room, as well as several incense sticks.

Overall, he would say the effect was very, _Ravenesque_. Now normally - normally he would ask how the girl could have accomplished all of this since he'd seen her yesterday, but the answer to that was in the room as well. Sitting on a stool at the end of Raven's bed, expertly massaging her bare feet, was the long-haired Amazon boy.

Robin just stared at the scene, not quite able to wrap his head around the concept. Raven, reading comfortably, getting a foot massage from the very person that had tried to kill her less than a week earlier? Both room’s occupants turned to regard him, probably wondering why he was just standing in the open doorway like he was. Really, there was only one thing that he could think to do in his sleep deprived state of mind.

The masked Titan simply took a step backwards...

And calmly closed the door.

* * *

The entire day blew by faster than Ukyou could have imagined. She couldn't remember the last time she had had even _close_ to that much fun. Spending the day shopping with Bumble Bee (with Kunou kind enough to foot the bill for all the ladies) had been a wild time. With the Titans as their guides, they had seen probably all the fun parts of the town. From the mall in the morning, to the dance clubs at night. Really, it had been a full day.

So it was, with a small bit of regret, that she now stood assembled with Akane, Ranma and everyone else, preparing to say goodbye to the Titans and head back to Japan. Everyone was saying their goodbyes, exchanging numbers, handing out communicators (she really liked hers, Cyborg had painted a little spatula on the front of it) It really was one of those touchy feely moments that she usually tried to avoid for the most part. Everything seemed to be going as scheduled, right up to the point that Ranma stepped forward and declared it was time to head out.

"Um..."

"About that..."

"Oh my!"

Kasumi stepped forward first and moved to stand by Cyborg. "Everyone, I wanted to tell you all... that I've decided to stay on here, with the Teen Titans. Cyborg has offered to teach me how to use all his medical technology, as well as all the medicine that I would need to understand it. I believe that this is a good opportunity for me," she explained seriously.

Ukyou gasped at the older girl’s words. Instantly, she spun to look at Akane, waiting for the girl to explode, or cry, or argue or – or _something_. But the youngest Tendo didn't do any of those things, she just nodded sadly, in understanding.

"Don't worry, Kasumi, I'll tell father about your choice. You're right, though, this is a good opportunity, you might even be able to get into medical school!" said Akane, her voice strong and supportive. "I'm going to miss you though, big sister, you'll write, won't you?"

The older girl smiled and nodded. "Everyday, dear sister."

Ranma didn't seem entirely happy with her decision though, probably since it only left Akane to cook for him on a regular basis. "But – but Kasumi! I-I-it's not _safe_ here! Isn't there a better place for you to learn medicine than with a bunch of people that get attacked daily?" he asked, a little desperation seeping into his voice.

Kasumi just smiled wider, likely not understanding the boy's _real_ reason for wanting her to come home. "Maybe, but I believe that I can learn more from Mr. Cyborg here, than I could in many medical schools. That and our father can't really afford to pay for that kind of education. And as for safety, I've also asked Ryouga to stay as well."

The bandanna clad boy shrugged. "It wasn't really a necessary request. I was already planning on staying. I was the one that injured Raven, I'm bound by my honor to stay here, at the very least until she's well enough to fight again. Besides... it's nice to fight for something that matters, I think that I might be able to make a difference here."

Robin dropped a companionable hand onto the Lost Boy's shoulder. "We've already discussed it, we're going to make Ryouga an official member, at least until Raven is fit for duty again. When it comes to that, then we'll decide where to go from there," explained the Titan leader.

Hmm, well, the boy had a good reason to stay anyway. Again, she noticed the disappointed look on her fiancé’s face, it seemed like he didn't enjoy the prospect of losing so many people that were so important to him. But he didn't argue this time, since he obviously understood why Ryouga felt he needed to stay.

It was about then, that Kunou took the stage, so to speak. "I too, shall not be returning back to the home of my youth," he stated proudly. He moved to stand beside a widely smiling Bumble Bee, not that _that_ was surprising at all. "I too have sins to atone for and have also tasted the sweet nectar of fighting the noble fight. No longer would I be satisfied, battling such a base and unworthy foe as you, Saotome. Instead, I intend to place my sword arm into the service of my most heroic classmate."

Bumble Bee smiled, then dropped an elbow onto the boy's shoulder, leaning against him comfortably. "Yeah, we're gonna head back to my hometown on the East coast. I figure we could put together a decent team there, start cleanin up some of the scum around. Who knows, maybe in time, we'll be known as well as you Titans are known over here."

"Nay! For though we are only two, we shall shine more brightly than a _hundred_ Titans. The legend of our deeds will spread to all of the corners of the world!" pontificated the proud young man. A few people looked about ready to argue _that_ point when Bumble Bee cleared her throat.

The girl then closed her eyes and raised a finger, looking suddenly like a university lecturer. "Mental bearing, not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai. A Samurai therefore should neither be pompous nor arrogant," quoted the girl, somewhat obscurely. She then turned without another word and began walking for the bridge.

Kunou was hot on her heels. "What was that? What great warrior spoke those words, they ring with wisdom and humility."

His dark-skinned companion only giggled and continued her way.

Whether Ranma cared about Kunou moving on as well, he didn't have a chance to show it, as suddenly Cologne, of all people, hopped forward.

"Oh, to heck with it. Things are just getting too amusing here for me to leave just yet." he cackled loudly.

"Great Grandmother, you stay here with Titans?" asked the concerned Shampoo.

Cologne just waved her off. "You head on home; you have a restaurant that needs to be reopened and a fiancé to win. Don't worry your head off, though, I only plan to stay for a few days at the most. I just want to make sure that Raven is recovering, and that Robin isn't too put out by Happosai's nightly escapades."

The chef noticed the masked vigilante give a silent thanks for that.

"As soon as I'm satisfied that everyone has settled in here, I'll head back home as well. Now you children be on your way, you don't want to miss your flight," ordered the older woman.

Ukyou sighed at that. She had a restaurant to get back to as well, and a fiancé to win. She looked over to the pigtailed boy in question, standing elbow to elbow with Akane. Just like he had been the day before, on their day on the town. And the night before that, sitting beside the girl on the couch during the movie. In fact, he hadn't really gone out of his way to talk to her the whole trip, really. She had kept herself busy these past few days, spending time with her newest friend, Bumble Bee, so she hadn't really noticed, not until she stopped to think about it.

What did he _see_ in that girl, anyway? She wasn't any prettier than her, that was for sure. She was by far the worst cook of them all. And though she _was_ a skilled fighter in her own right, the Tendo girl still fell behind the rest of them in that area as well. So, what strange, mystical quality did she possess, that made Ranma always seek her out, no matter how badly she treated him at times.

She looked down the bridge once more, staring at the retreating forms of Bumble Bee and Kunou, then back to Ranma and Akane. Did she _really_ want to go back to that, jumping back into the same rut that she had been in for as long as she cared to remember? Maybe... maybe it _was_ time for a change, time to shake things up.

Maybe it was time that Ukyou did something for Ukyou, instead of dedicating her life to her pursuit of Ranma. Maybe it was time that she did something worthwhile, did something that would make a difference as well. Ryouga did make a good point, she couldn't remember the last time that she did anything that made her feel better about herself, instead of feeling like a scheming little shrew.

Besides... they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Making probably the most impulsive decision of her life, she ran forward and grabbed Ranma's face with both hands. Then she planted the biggest kiss of her life on the jackass! She lingered for nearly ten seconds, enjoying the feel of her first _real_ kiss with the pigtailed boy. Then, just as Akane and Shampoo began to explode in jealous anger, she turned and fled, leaving a stunned martial artist in her wake.

"Konatsu, take care of the restaurant while I'm away, ask Cologne for help when she gets back!" she yelled, feeling strangely exhilarated at her impulsive decision. Before anyone even had a chance to argue, or in Ranma's case, regain his senses, she was already speeding down the bridge towards her future teammates, and towards her future.

"Hey, _Bee_! Wait up!"

* * *

Ranma could only stare as Ukyou ran off to join Bumble Bee and Kunou. Heck, he was _still_ reeling from that kiss, it had been... something else. But he felt that lump in his stomach grow just that much more. Why was everyone abandoning him like this? Ryouga he understood, he had a duty to help Raven. But Kasumi, Ukyou, even Kunou? They were gonna end up heading back to Nerima with less people than they left with in the first place!

He looked to the dark haired Tendo standing sadly beside him. With a loud sigh, he realized that he was being selfish. What did he really have to complain about? Sure, he was losing friends, but Akane had lost both of her sisters, one to villainy and the other to heroism. He didn't even want to imagine what must be going through his fiancée's mind right then.

Then, Akane turned to face him, a weak smile on her face. "Come on, Ranma, we have to go catch our flight. We've already missed over two weeks of school, you know?"

He sighed again, looking back to his rival and the Titans one last time. He was sure going to miss the directionless jerk, not to mention he was going to have to find some way to find training on par with what Ryouga was likely going to find here. Still, he was the best after all, and really, there was no shortage of crime in Tokyo. A sinister smile spread on his lips at that thought.

"Yeah, yeah, sheesh, do ya always gotta be so uncute," he muttered. He waved one last time, smiling as all the heroes waved their goodbyes. "C'mon Akane, we gotta plane to catch."

It was time to go home.

It was about then, that Akane swatted him across the back of the head.

"Honestly!"

* * *

The young woman paced back and forth across the gravel rooftop of the building. Her patience was starting to wear thin as she waited to hear back from her teammate. Her other teammate, sitting on a nearby air-conditioning unit and casually polishing his shield, looked up from his work to glare at her.

"Do you have to keep pacing like that? It's starting to get on my nerves, civilian," muttered the young man.

She didn't even bother to respond to the boy's comment, as if she cared that she was getting on his nerves. If Bumble Bee hadn't told her where he was passed out, he'd likely still be at the bottom of the Hive academy, or at least what was left of it.

She was still in awe at what those damned martial artists had done to her home! She had thought that Ryouga had been a monster before, just from his skill in the martial arts. But then she had seen the column of energy that he had created, then the tornado that his other friend had created to destroy it. She shook her head in disgust, there was no way those two could even be _remotely_ human, nothing she had seen before had even compared to what those two had done. The sheer level of destruction...

The crunch of gravel heralded the approach of their third teammate. See-more moved towards them, from where he had been standing on the edge of the roof, his keen vision turned towards the Titan's tower.

"Did you see her, See-more?" she demanded angrily.

The boy smirked arrogantly at her question. "Heh, you know me, Angel, I _see_ everyt-"

"Oh, for the love of _God_ , if you make even _one_ more joke that involves your _damned_ eyeball, I swear I'm going to remove it, got it?" she shouted in utter annoyance.

He gulped nervously at that. "Um, yeah, I saw her, she's leaving the tower now, but she's not leaving alone. She's got Kunou with her, and that girl with the giant spatula too," reported the man.

" _Her_! **"** hissed Private Hive from his corner of the roof. "This couldn't be more perfect, now we can achieve revenge against the traitor and that – that _girl_ that humiliated me!"

Angel rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid, there's no way that the three of us can take the three of them. If it had only been the two of them, maybe, but not all three," she grumbled in annoyance. She was desperately looking for some payback against her supposed friend! She was still burning with shame and humiliation, to think that her best friend had been a damned _spy_! That she had been a _hero_ the whole time, that she just pretended to be her friend.

She glared at both of her teammates. Of the two, Private Hive understood her motivation the best. He had been humiliated by both girls, Ukyou and Bumble Bee, so his thirst for vengeance ran just as deep as hers.

As for See-more, he was just grateful that they had saved him as well. Not that she intended too, the only reason that she had went down to check out the Holding Area was because Kunou had been sent there. That had been before she had found out that Kunou and Mousse had broken the Headmaster's control and joined their friends again. Still, she had found See-more there regardless, and they had saved him from pretty much certain doom, abandoned by the Titans in the holding sphere.

But where did that leave them? She still had no idea what happened to Nabiki, Mammoth, Gizmo, Kyd Wykkyd or Billy Numerous. She and her new companions had been watching the Titans covertly since they had escaped the building, but they never saw Nabiki or the rest leave at any time. It was possible they had died in the explosion, though it seemed unlikely, considering what she knew about the girl.

They did know that the Headmaster, XL Terrestrial and the Instigator had all been taken into custody. In fact, both of her former classmates were being held in the local prison, within the super villain wing. Where they had taken the Headmaster, she had no idea.

Hmm, that gave her an idea. "We can't beat them in a fair fight, so obviously we need to increase the odds in our favor," she said, her voice dripping malevolence.

Private Hive smiled wickedly at that. "Yes! Our classmates aren't being held too far from here, all we have to do is free them, then we can get our revenge on those damned girls!" he cheered.

See-more nodded in agreement. "Heh, it shouldn't be a problem for us to break them out, then all we have to do is track those _heroes_ to their final destination."

She smiled one last time. "Yes, we _will_ have our revenge. Soon, soon that traitorous Bumble Bee will face the combined wrath..."

"Of the Hive Five!"

* * *

Slowly, the girl's eyes fluttered open, flooding her world with blinding light. With agonizing effort, she lifted an arm and covered her sensitive eyes, not quite ready to deal with the light yet. Everything was hurting, especially her leg, and it was really annoying her. Gradually, the light receded back to a more reasonable level, or rather her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room.

With a little effort, she dropped her aching arm to her side, and took in her surroundings.

"So, sleeping beauty is finally wake, I see," teased a familiar voice.

She turned her head, just enough to see Nabiki Tendo leaning casually by the room's door. As soon as she was noticed, the girl pushed off from the wall and walked across the room.

"Nabiki? Don't tell me that you're in charge of Hell already," she muttered morosely.

The middle Tendo smirked wickedly, before taking a seat in the chair right next to her bed. "Heh, not yet, Jinx. One step at a time, you know," joked the brilliant young woman.

Jinx smiled back, or at least tried to, wincing in pain for her trouble. "Well, it's not like I believe in Hell anyway, so you do whatever you want with it..." her attempt at humor trailed off, as a serious though crossed her mind. "Nabiki, why am I here... why aren't I...?"

"Why aren't you dead? I'm assuming that is what you're asking about?" asked the brunette.

She could only nod in reply. This was the last place she expected to find herself, well, here and any place else for that matter. "I thought I told you that I was fine. And that after I dropped of Ryouga, that I was going away for a few days," she asked quietly.

Nabiki rolled her eyes dramatically and let out a bark of derisive laughter. "Oh, yes! And I _totally_ believed you. I mean, it wasn't as if you were leaving a trail of blood everywhere you went, or that you had that look in your eyes that just screamed ‘I'm very likely to do something very stupid, very soon’. I swear, what is it with teenage girls that makes them such _drama queens_?" The girl then winked mischievously and giggled before continuing.

"Really, you lose a boyfriend; heck, you didn't even lose him, you _gave him away_ in some misguided sense of nobility. Then you think that suicide is the only answer. I don't know where you picked up this nasty habit of doing the right thing, but frankly I think it's a habit that you should drop quickly. Honestly, it's _not_ worth dying over," said the older girl, trying her best to be supportive, in her own strange way.

Jinx groaned a bit in response. "Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately. So, where's everyone else then, out planning their first crime?"

The new leader of the Hive Five shook her head in amusement. "Actually, you already motivated our first crime. Though I never imagined in my early days of super villainy, that my first heist would be knocking over a blood bank," said the girl, laughing happily. But then the girl's laugh died down, and her gaze turned serious. "You had us all worried, Jinx. You've been out for five days, even with the transfusion... we were starting to wonder if you were coming out of it at all."

She didn't know how to feel about that. They – they had gone to that much trouble, robbing medical supplies and watching over her for so long, just to help her. It... it was so touching, that they cared that much about her well being. It almost... okay, it didn't even come _close_ to making her feel better about losing Ryouga, but at least it was better than bleeding to death in an alleyway. Sheesh, did she just think that? She was getting gloomier than Raven!

"So why all the concern, anyway? I thought I wasn't even a member of your team, Biki," she asked, a bit more sharply than she intended.

If Nabiki was at all offended, she hid it well. "Are you going on about that _again_? I told you I had my reasons; besides, did you _really_ think that Gizmo and Mammoth would let you do something so stupid? Those two really care about you, even if they share the same lack of capacity to show it that any immature teenage male does," said Nabiki, smirking weakly.

She nodded slowly in agreement. Those two had been her closest friends for as long as she could remember, and she was starting to feel bad for taking them for granted so much lately. She had hardly interacted with them at all since Ryouga came along. Of course, they were both busy with their own interests as well, so there weren't any hard feelings over it. Still, she was curious why _she_ didn't make the cut when someone like _Billy_ did. How could that hick possibly rate higher than her?

"So, Biki, I'm not going anywhere, why don't you fill me in on a few of those reasons. You aren't threatened by another strong, assertive female in the group, are you?" she asked slyly.

The recently anointed villain rolled her eyes again. "Jinx, I could give you a list of reasons why you're not on the team. But I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'm just going to ask you this one question. What do you actually _feel_ like doing now: going out to rob a bank, steal some money, probably hurt some guards and get chased by the Titans; or – or would you rather plant yourself on a couch, curl up with a five gallon bucket of ice cream and watch soaps all day?" asked the Tendo girl, smirking slightly at the question.

Hmm, well, the answer to that one was obvious right now. "Well... I have been giving some thought to how the morbidly obese look would work for me," she answered weakly, before sighing sadly. "I guess you're right, Biki. My head’s just not in the game. There's no way I'd be able to go out and mix it up like we used to. Heh, guess I'm on my way to bein a washed up has-been, eh?" she continued, a trace of self loathing seeping into her voice.

Nabiki shook her head slowly, her smirk widening into an actual smile. Then, in a very non-Nabiki move, the girl placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No, Jinx, you're on your way to becoming a _good_ person. Don't worry though, I won't throw you into any death traps until _after_ you move out."

Jinx couldn't help herself, as a small giggle escaped her lips. "Thank you, this _really_ means a lot to me, You've been a really good friend..." she said, trailing of meaningfully.

"... now, about that ice cream?"

* * *

Raven sighed loudly, somewhat disappointed in herself. She had been there to see off their new friends yesterday, with everyone else, but as soon as they had left, she had sequestered herself to her room. She wasn't quite up to the idea of dealing with their two newest ‘recruits’ yet. Well, that wasn't quite true, she had absolutely no opinion on Kasumi, the young woman seemed nice enough, but just rubbed her the wrong way for some reason.

No, the real reason that she had locked herself away was relatively obvious. Asides from the very first words that she had spoken to the boy, she had gone out of her way to avoid him. She wasn't exactly sure why, it seemed like a very immature thing to do, and she _had_ told Ranma that she had already dealt with her feelings.

And yet, here she was.

She was being foolish; Ryouga wasn't going anywhere... at least not on purpose anyway. Barring him getting lost, he was going to be here for several weeks. Not even someone as reclusive as _her_ could stay locked up in her room for that long. She'd starve at that rate.

A sharp rap at her door disrupted her rather unproductive train of though. It had the distinctive sound of wood hitting metal, so unless Beast Boy was hitting her door with a stick, it made the identity of her visitor rather obvious. The dark Titan let out another sigh and floated over to open the door.

The rather unsurprising sight of Cologne perched upon her staff, outsider her door greeted her. "Ah, good, I was starting to worry that you were avoiding me as well," cackled the old woman gleefully.

Raven ducked her head, apparently, she was being transparent lately. "Come in, Elder, is there something you want to talk about?" she asked quietly.

In truth, she had been glad to hear that Cologne was planning to stay on for a few more days as well. Raven had been feeling somewhat unbalanced since the final battle with the Headmaster. When she had been forced to dive into the man's psyche... she had seen things which she hadn't wished to see.

"Several things, several things... possibly resuming your training, for one thing. However, I doubt that is exceedingly high on your list of priorities now, is it?" replied the old woman.

"No... not exactly," she agreed quietly. Slowly, she floated back to her bed and sat down once more. Idly she picked up one of her old books and started flipping through the ancient pages.

Cologne followed her, coming to stop a few feet in front of her, once again balancing on the staff that she carried with her everywhere. The old woman then stared at her owlishly for several moments. "You can't avoid him forever, you know. Nor is there any reason for you to. I'm certain that once you speak with him, this tension that is hanging over the tower will lessen greatly."

Raven nodded imperceptibly. "I know... but, can we really just be friends again, after everything that's happened? I mean, we came so close to... _that_ , but then so many terrible things happened. I just don't know what to think about him anymore," she admitted sadly.

It was true, though the rational part of her mind told her that this was a nonissue, the very purpose of her existence precluded her from any form of lasting relationship, her heart was telling her differently. One half of her was still smitten with the boy, he had been so sweet, so caring; he was so different from any other boy she had met before. But the other half of her was terrified of him, the awesome display of his power atop the church, the bestial expression on his face when he nearly killed her... the fact that he nearly killed her.

There seemed to be no middle ground left between the two opposing views of him. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to be something that she would be able to reason out. However, one thing that she had never been was a coward. Yes, she _would_ talk to the boy. Maybe it was possible that they could become friends again, if only for the sake of their working relationship.

"I understand that, Raven, but I think you will find him to be quite subdued. Much has happened lately, and I think one more friend would do nothing to hurt either of you. Besides, Garfield has been starting to get out of hand, without you to... balance him," said the ancient warrior, smiling wryly.

She smirked at bit at that though herself. She'd deal with _Garfield_ later; she'd been just waiting for the opportunity to torment him on _that_ score. But first thing first. "Very well, Cologne. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?"

"In his room, last I checked, anyway. I still say that young Cyborg should implant him with some form of tracking device, just in case the fool boy forgets his communicator lying around. HA! But, oh well, I must be off anyway, I need to give Robin a few more pointers for tonight's ‘hunt’," she explained, cackling in amusement.

And thus, it was several minutes later, that Raven found herself standing outside of the door of one, Ryouga Hibiki. She took a slow, calming breath, before finally building up the nerve to knock on the boy's door. A moment later, said door slid open, revealing the bandanna wearing boy himself. A look of shock appeared on the boy's face, as soon as he realized just who it was that had come calling.

"Um – Raven! Hello there... what can I do for you?" asked the boy nervously. She could sense the conflicting emotions in him, even as he spoke to her, or tried to anyway. He _did_ seem happy to see her, but he was also feeling shame, embarrassment, sadness, and another dozen emotion besides. Frankly, she wondered how he managed to survive half the time, considering how many wildly conflicting emotions he seemed to be burdened with.

"I... just want to talk. You don't mind talking with me, do you?" she asked a bit pointedly. Okay, maybe she was coming off a little confrontational, she'd have to watch that.

The boy seemed to regain some of his sense, and quickly agreed, inviting her into his room. At first, they spoke awkwardly and haltingly. He showed her the programs that he had gotten at the Hive academy, she told him about some of the meditation techniques that Cologne had taught her.

After a time, she felt him beginning to relax in her presence and found that it was catching. Soon they were talking easily, he told her amusing tales about Ranma and many of the adventures they had. She gladly reciprocated with a few tales of her own exploits with her friends.

Eventually, the even began to laugh and share some of their stranger quirks, like Raven's irrational antipathy for the seemingly perfect Kasumi. It went back and forth like that for most of the afternoon, until she finally decided to ask him the question that had been on her mind for the past day or so.

"So, Ryouga, why did you _really_ choose to stay here, instead of going home? Staying to protect Kasumi is a very thin excuse, and taking my place while I'm injured, while it's a sweet gesture, it's not really necessary," she pointed out.

Ryouga nodded, smiling easily. "Yeah, I know that, but I didn't really feel like explaining my real reasons in front of everyone. I don't think many of my friends would have understood, except maybe Ranma."

She nodded silently, encouraging him to continue.

"Well, Kasumi and I, we've both let our lives be determined by the people around us for a long, long time. For as long as I can remember, my life has practically revolved around Ranma. Everything I did, was to beat him, everywhere I traveled, was to find him. My entire existence was wrapped up in trying to match up to him, but he was always one step ahead, an unattainable goal. Kasumi, she was almost trapped in her family. She had to drop out of school to take care of her sisters, she practically became their mother in a way. She doesn't regret it, she loves her sisters, and it was necessary, but now her sisters are all grown up.”

He fiddled with his bandanna as he organized his thoughts.

“So... I guess we just decided to get a life, our own lives, if you will. I've been living in Ranma's shadow for a long time. No one ever considers me, except in how I compare with him. No matter how far I push myself, if I fall short of him, it's like my accomplishments mean nothing. I think it's time that I stepped out from under that shadow. I think it's time that I found my own path."

The dark Titan considered his words carefully. That... had been more than she had been expecting. So that was what the boy was after, a clean slate, a chance at a new life. Yes, she could see it; if he had returned home, Ryouga likely would have been pulled right back into the same pattern as before. To truly start fresh, he needed to get away from everything for awhile. It was nothing she had ever experienced herself, but she imagined the desire to be known for ones own worth could be a powerful driving force.

"I think I can understand that. Have you decided what that path may be yet?"

He smiled widely, his fang darting out over his lip in a way that was infinitely cuter than any attempt that Beast Boy could manage. "Well, I've played the villain for longer than I care to remember..."

"... I think it's time _I_ was the hero for a change."

* * *

The next several days passed in an extremely eventful blur. Not crime wise, an entire building being utterly obliterated in a huge glowing tornado seemed to have put the entire criminal underground on its toes, at least for now. But eventful none the less.

Beast Boy had been happy to see the reclusive Raven finally come out of her room. And better yet, she seemed to be on speaking terms with Ryouga. Whether that was a good thing or not, the changeling couldn't decide, since he had the unfortunate association of Raven talking to him being linked tightly to pain and snarky insults.

Cyborg and Kasumi had been studying most of the time, when the older girl wasn't cooking the best meals _ever_ for them. Man, he couldn't believe his luck that it was her that had decided to stay, and not her _sister_. The changeling shuddered at the very idea of that. And he hadn't even _eaten_ any of Akane’s cooking.

For the most part, Beast Boy spent his time hanging out with Ryouga and Starfire. Raven and Robin would make occasional appearances, but for the most part they were too busy with Cologne. Raven was doing some kind of funky training, and Robin was still dealing with Happosai's nightly panty raids.

Beast Boy had gone out with Robin _once_ to try to catch the old guy. But, man, that had been as much of _that_ as he could handle. Besides, Robin seemed to take it as personal challenge to catch the guy, and Cologne seemed to be encouraging it.

So, for the past few days, him and Star had taken it upon themselves to acquaint their newest team mate to their fair city, since he ditched on the big tour last time. Thankfully, now that the boy had a communicator on him all the time, he hadn't managed to get lost... too badly. Sheesh, it was unbelievable, every time they turned their backs on him, he just vanished.

But eventually something had to change. So it was, several days later, that Cologne finally declared that it was time for her to head back to Japan as well. It made him a bit sad, having her leave already. Having the old bat around sure was fun! However, the night before her departure, a strange thought went through Beast Boy's mind. He nearly cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner, he couldn't believe it had slipped his mind.

Beast Boy checked the clock in his room, as he slipped into a slightly classier outfit than he usually wore and grabbed the package that he had bought earlier that day. Good, it was only seven, and Cologne's flight wasn't until nearly midnight, so that gave him plenty of time for a small side trip.

With a quick stride, he made his way to Cologne's room, she was likely still packing for the flight. As soon as he reached his destination, he knocked on her door. A moment later, the old woman answered the door, looking at him strangely.

"Hey, Granny, you finished packing yet?" he asked excitedly.

Cologne looked at him strangely, taking in his unusual outfit, a pair of dark dress pants, an equally dark button up shirt and a matching jacket. She also gazed at the package beneath his arm with interest.

"Indeed, young Garfield. Are you planning on going out tonight?" she asked quizzically.

He nodded, smiling happily. "Yeah, and I was hoping you would come along. You and Ryouga and Kasumi too."

"Hmmm... very well, you go fetch Ryouga and bring him here to carry my bags, I will go gather up Kasumi," offered the old woman.

Giddy with excitement, he literally flew off in search of the Lost Boy.

And so, it was, some thirty minutes later, the four of them were traveling down a poorly lit street in an extremely bad part of town. If any potential criminals were looking for a group of nervous and vulnerable looking people though, they were highly disappointed.

Finally, Ryouga turned to him, looking a little annoyed at having to lug around Cologne's bags. "So, where the heck are we going, anyway, Beast Boy. You haven't even given us a hint yet," he growled softly. Kasumi and Cologne nodded in silent agreement.

He nodded back, his smile taking on a somewhat melancholy expression. "I'm taking you to meet... an old friend of ours. I feel bad about not introducing her to everyone now. Heh, you and her actually have a lot in common, Ryouga."

He led then down another side street, which led to a large hole in the earth. His companion's stared at him in confusion, but he just continued down into the darkness without missing a beat. After a moment, the trio caught up to him. Ryouga sounded like he was about to complain about the pitch darkness, when suddenly the tunnel lit up around them, as a series of lights that Cyborg had installed responded to his communicator's signal.

With a grunt of satisfaction, Ryouga started to walk beside him again. The Lost Boy looked over, apparently remembering what he had said. "So, what do I have in common with this friend of yours?"

He chuckled lightly; he could just see the confused looks on their faces. He could just imagine the questions running through their minds: why was he bringing them down here, what kind of person lived in a cave?

"Well... both of you were loners, both of you were lost for a really long time. And... and both of you made mistakes, but, in the end, you overcame your mistakes and did the right thing. I... I think the two of you would have gotten along really well," he trailed off; his throat began to tighten as he thought about his old friend.

He noticed the look that alighted on their faces, as they caught his minor slip there. Suddenly, the confusion was gone, and a somber mood seemed to descend on them all. The rest of the trip went by in silence as he led them deeper into the tunnel.

Finally, after what felt like forever to the emerald changeling, they entered a large cavern, devoid of anything save one special occupant.

His companion's gasped as the lights revealed the stone statue at the center of the cavern. It was a statue of a girl, the most beautiful girl in the world, arms outstretched and her hair blowing in a wind that no longer existed. Beast Boy felt tears well up in his eyes at the sight; it had been too long since he had visited her.

Reverently, he led them up to the statue, close enough to read the plaque at its base. Then, he pulled the package from beneath his arm, and unwrapped it carefully, revealing a bouquet of roses. He then stepped forward and placed the flowers at the stone girl's feet.

"She's so beautiful." Kasumi's voice. He could only nod, not even turning to look back.

"I want to tell you a story, a story about an incredibly special girl, a girl that I think you would understand really well, Ryouga... She - she was a lot of things, a hero, a traitor, a friend..." He was having a hard time speaking, his voice choking up badly, as he stood there, staring at the frozen woman before him. Ever so carefully, he reached out and traced his finger along the perfectly smooth stone of her cheek, before turning to face his audience.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to do her any injustice while telling her story. Ryouga, Cologne and Kasumi, they all looked back at him, looks of compassion and understanding gracing their faces. He took solace in that, and began to tell her story.

"Her name was Terra. She was gifted with tremendous power and cursed with it as well. She was a dangerous enemy and a good friend, and she was one of the bravest people that I have ever known..."

* * *

Cologne listened with rapt attention. The hours seemed to flow together as the young man weaved the tale. Beast Boy told the story of this unfortunate girl with all the care and emotion of a great bard. It was obvious that he had cared for her as far more than a simple friend. Beside her, she saw Kasumi; tears freely flowing down her cheeks as she took in the boy's words. On her other side, Ryouga was also battling to contain his tears.

It was a tragic tale, the rash foolishness of youth. What a waste... There was nothing that troubled her more than seeing an extraordinary youth cut down before even reaching their prime. Still, it demonstrated, once again, the depths of compassion that these Titans possessed. Terra had betrayed them and deceived them. Even gone so far as to surrender herself to the service of a man twisted by evil. And yet, they still cared for her enough, to raise this monument in her honor.

Then the boy told them of their final confrontation with Terra. How they battled her, and how he had tracked her back to her master. And ultimately how she fought this ‘Slade's’ control and spared Beast Boy's life. It was a tragic, but noble story.

"But... but she was too powerful for Slade... Her power triggered a volcano, right beneath the city. She defeated Slade, but she had doomed the city as well," stated the young man.

She looked over to Ryouga, noticing his head hanging in shame. Yes, perhaps there were several parallels here indeed. On her other side, Kasumi gasped in shock. "W-what happened? How did you save the city?"

Beast Boy shook his head, his melancholy smile still present. "We didn't... Terra, she used her power... she-she was _so powerful_ , you see... She used her power one last time to save us all. Somehow, she stopped the volcano, through sheer force of will, where none of us could have done anything at all. She saved the whole city... but she paid the ultimate price," he explained. The boy then turned back to the statue, gazing sadly at the unmoving stone eyes of the girl.

Wait a moment... "Garfield... is it – is it possible, that you are trying to tell us that _this_... that this _is_ Terra?" she asked, actual disbelief in her voice.

Ryouga and Kasumi both gasped loudly, they hadn't guessed, either.

"Oh my! That poor girl!"

"How is that possible?"

The young changeling nodded. "Yeah, it is... was, I guess. We don't know how she did it, and nothing we've been able to do has been able to reverse it, but we're still looking for ways to save her," he replied in a pained voice.

Cologne almost smirked, now she knew the _real_ reason that the boy had asked her to come here. Perhaps he didn't want to get his own hopes up, but she could see the slight glimmer of hope, hidden at the very back of his eyes. While Ryouga and Kasumi just stared on in wonder, she moved forward to examine the stone martyr more closely.

A ropey arm blocked her way, and Beast Boy glared down at her. "You aren't goin near her with that Black eye Fandango, are you?" he growled lightly. She chuckled silently to herself, a valid fear she supposed, considering his friend’s condition and the skills that she and Ryouga both possessed.

"Worry not, boy. I just wish to examine her. I have never heard of such a thing before, and I have seen a great many things, my young friend," she joked weakly. The boy seemed about to argue for a moment, before finally nodding and moving away.

One last hop took her the rest of the way to the statue. She read the small plaque one last time..."Terra, A Teen Titan, A True Friend." it was a touching epitaph. As gently as she could, she began to run her hand over the abdomen of the statue, searching intently for any trace of life.

She let her more mundane senses fade away, focusing only upon her highly trained ki sense. The world seemed to melt away around her, the cavern vanished away as her eyes closed, leaving her in blackness. All sound ceased, leaving her in a void empty of all distraction. Even the physical sensation from her sensitive fingertips vanished, as her sense of touch was not at all important to what she was doing.

Slowly the blackness around her faded, as new sources of light made themselves known. Behind her, and thankfully moving away, was Ryouga's densely powerful aura, shining with azure light. She didn't need to turn to regard him, not in this state. Even with her back turned, she could sense the ebbs and flows of his ki as it flowed through his body, she could almost see it working to continue healing his many injuries.

Then she saw Beast Boy's wild and primal energy. Not nearly so powerful as his martial artist companion, but still far more impressive than most anyone in the city above. Beside him, was Kasumi, her aura a tiny lantern next to the roaring flames of her two friends. Small, but serene and perfectly calm, she possessed an aura of serenity that many masters spent their whole lives to achieve.

She pushed all those distractions to the side and focused on what lay before her. She could almost see the outline of the statue before her, traces of the girl's life energy still lingering within the stone. Still, it wasn't what she was looking for, no more than the ambient ki that was possessed by everything on the planet.

No, she had to look... deeper. She pushed her focus further, looking deeper into the girl before her...

 _There_! There, it was hard to discern, the girl’s ki, it – it... Cologne shook her head and stepped back, letting her normal senses flow back over her. She stared in awe at the statue. That girl's ki had been unlike any _human_ ki she had ever sensed.

But, but not unlike _any_ other ki she had ever sensed. No, once she finally saw it for what it was, it seemed so obvious why she had such a difficult time locating her life energy.

Terra's ki, she had sensed it's like before, but not in any person. The only place she had sensed the same energy that this girl possessed, was in Ley Lines... she possessed the very same ki as the _planet itself_!

It made a strange kind of sense, considering her powers, and it explained how her ki had blended in so perfectly with the stone all around them. Cologne looked around the cavern once more, with a new eye. She stared in wonder once more, it was difficult to determine where the girl's ki ended, and the rest of the worlds began. Yes, it was there, and it was... it was waiting?

Beast Boy knelt beside her, looking at her seriously. "Is there something wrong, Granny? You look like you just saw a ghost or something."

She nearly laughed out loud, at the boy's choice of words. "No, boy, just something that I had never even imagined possible. Heh, how is it that in the short time that I have known you and yours, that nearly every day seems to herald some new and impossible thing to confound me."

Yes, yes, she was certain, the girl seemed to be waiting... or perhaps trapped? Young people often did foolish things without understanding the ramifications and consequences of their actions. The girl's energy was static, almost locked in place. Maybe... maybe even this mighty girl, this Titan with the ability to move the very pillars of the earth itself... maybe all she needed was a gentle nudge?

With lightning speed, she lashed out, jabbing the statue in the abdomen with a tiny surge of her own ki. Not enough to detonate the whole statue, just enough to, hopefully, start things moving.

The emerald changeling nearly screamed in shock at her swift action, but then stared in curiosity with the rest of them.

They all stared at the statue that was Terra, watching, waiting for even the smallest signal that something might be happening. The sound of silence was deafening, as none of them scarcely dared to breath for fear of missing a sign. It seemed to drag on forever... until.

Cologne gave a weary sigh.

“I am sorry, Garfield, I had hoped... but I see no change at all. I dare not do more; even though she still possesses her ki, it is rigid like normal stone. If I were to use any more ki, it would have the same effect as the Bakusai Tenketsu," she explained sadly.

Beast Boy nodded, trying vainly to hide his disappointment. "Yeah, it's okay. It was kind of a long shot anyway. But... thanks for trying," he whispered quietly.

She nodded once more, before looking at her new watch. "Oh, it's nearly eleven o'clock, if I don't hurry, I will miss my flight," she told her companions. "Garfield, thank you for introducing us to your friend, it was a great honor that you bestowed upon us."

Ryouga came forward and bowed as well. "Yes, thank you for telling us her story. It really made me think about my own life, as well as hers."

Kasumi simply bowed politely, tears still staining her cheeks. She didn't seem to be up to talking quite yet. Absently, she wiped the tears from her face, even as new ones replaced them.

"No problem guys, it was... good to get to tell her story like that." The boy then looked back to the statue before turning to look at them again. "Um, hey guys... do you mind if I stay here while you guys go to the airport. It's been awhile since I visited Terra, and I think I have a lot to catch her up on."

Cologne nodded, not feeling at all offended. "Of course, Garfield. You told us her story; it is only fitting that you tell her our story."

With that, the three of them began to move up the tunnel, leaving their friend to his contemplations. The last thing they heard, before passing beyond earshot, were Beast Boy's happy words. "Hey Terra, you won't _believe_ what's been going on lately..."

As they travelled back through the tunnel, she turned to Ryouga and gave him a meaningful look. "Remember this day, boy. That girl's ki contains a secret that could change the very way you look at the entire world."

Ryouga stared back at her, a questioning look on his face, but she said no more on the topic.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the airport. It was time for another bitter-sweet goodbye it seemed. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to dawdle, so they kept their goodbyes relatively brief. Soon enough, the two former Nerimians were wandering off into the night, leaving her standing before the monolithic structure of the airport.

She let out a long sigh. She would miss those two, all the Titans really, and Ukyou and Kunou, and even Nabiki as well. Each of them had contributed to the fun she had been enjoying so much since she had left China, each in their own way. However, it was also good to see so many people moving on with their lives and attempting to truly make something of themselves. Even Nabiki, though she went to the side of villain, she wished well. After all, if everyone in the world was good, it would be a boring place indeed!

With one last nostalgic glance to the receding forms of Ryouga and Kasumi, she entered the airport. With only a minimum of effort, she found her way to the ticket booth and presented her ticket to the young woman that staffed it. She was running late, but she was certain that she would be able to get boarded, even if she had to use some unorthodox methods to do so.

"I'm sorry, but this ticket has been cancelled," replied the young woman.

Yes, for someone of her skill, not to mention her age, getting aboard a plane shouldn't be a problem-

She turned to face the attendant, the girl's words finally catching up to her. "Excuse me?" she asked icily. The girl shuddered at her demeanor but handed back her ticket with a shaky hand regardless.

"T-t-this ticket, it was – it was cancelled, just a few hours after it was purchased. Certainly, you would have known about that... w-w-wouldn't you?" asked the uncertain youth.

The ancient elder pinned the girl with her glare, causing the poor attendant to cringe pitifully. "And _who_ may I ask cancelled this ticket?" she asked harshly. The young woman looked about to faint from terror when a voice interrupted them.

"I believe that I may be able to answer that."

Cologne turned with refined dignity to face the woman that now stood behind her. She appeared to be in her late twenties, early thirties; somewhat tall, and of Asian ancestry, perhaps. The young woman wore her raven hair short and swept back. Her face held a cold expression as she looked down at Cologne. The woman's outfit consisted of an artfully crafted ebony suit, but one that, to Colognes' trained eye, possessed several small alterations that would allow for a greater freedom of movement.

Hmm, yes, just by looking at the girl, she could tell she was a martial artist, and a skilled one at that. She chuckled quietly to herself, this could be interesting.

"So, pup, I'm certain that you have some good reason for delaying my trip," she uttered in a serious voice.

The woman bristled slightly at the, pup, reference, but restrained herself. "Indeed, if you would come with me, I would speak with you in private," requested the young woman. Her voice was hard, but obviously the girl seemed to know enough not to make any demands in her position. Cologne could sense she was very skilled, but this youth was a hundred years too early to even consider being a threat to her.

"Very well, I look forward to your explanation."

The woman nodded and began to lead them towards the back of the airport, where the planes were being loaded. As they walked, the woman began to speak again.

"My name is Wu-san Sandra, though my contemporaries call me Lady Shiva," said the woman, finally introducing herself. "And you are Cologne, an elder of the nigh legendary Joketsozuko village hidden within the mists of China. Frankly, I had not thought the legends true myself, but your recent activities in America have changed that opinion."

Cologne shrugged, unconcerned. The village did nothing to promote its existence, the less people that knew of it, the safer they were, considering their more archaic laws. "Ah, so you cancelled my ticket in hopes that I would teach you a few tricks while I was still here? Or perhaps you wish to challenge me, to ‘prove that you're the greatest warrior’?" she asked in a mocking voice.

Their walk soon led them out of the airport completely and onto the tarmac of the runways.

Again, Lady Shiva (what a silly name) bristled at her mocking words. " _Hardly_. I've trained under masters greater than the likes of you. However, my current employer has taken a great interest in you and your village. He wishes to meet with you personally to discuss some matters of business."

Well, that piqued her curiosity. What businessman could possibly be interested in a tiny village of martial artists located on the far side of the planet? Her curiosity inflamed further, as their impromptu tour of the airport ended, leaving them standing before a very extravagant personal jet.

"And who, may I ask, is this mysterious employer of yours?" she asked, interested to see where this was going.

The woman smiled for the first time that night, though it was a bit of a feral smile. "A concerned industrialist, you may even have heard of him in your short time in America..."

"His name is Lex Luthor."

* * *

Ryouga looked to the woman walking beside him and smiled wistfully. "So, Kasumi, time to finally start our new lives, eh?" he asked a rare note of optimism in his voice.

She returned his look, smiling happily as well. "Yes, yes, it is. Though, I must admit I'm feeling somewhat nervous. I've spent so long living at home, I'm not sure what I'll do now." she admitted.

"Heh, don't worry about that. We're heroes now, well, temporary ones anyway, but I'm sure that we'll get swept up in things so fast, that we won't even have time to worry about what we're going to do," he replied, starting to feel more optimistic already.

Kasumi nodded thoughtfully at that. "I think you're right. I'm certain that we'll have many fun adventures while we're here. And it's not like we can't speak to Akane, Ranma and the others whenever we miss them, since we all have these nice communicators now."

He dropped a companionable hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "See, that's the spirit, Kasumi. For the first time in a long time, it feels like the future is bright, full of possibility..."

"... nothing can go wrong now!"

Which is precisely when it began to rain, triggering his curse.

"Oh, for _the love of_ -"

"Oh my!"

* * *

Nabiki smiled and shook her head in amusement as she slid the door shut behind her. She couldn't believe Jinx at all. It was a pity that Ryouga seemed to have brought the best out in that girl, she would have been an _amazing_ member of her team otherwise. Oh well, it wasn't like anyone was going to mind having the girl crash at their new lair for a time, especially if all she was going to do was live on the couch and eat ice cream... well, Mammoth might, he did like to eat.

Speaking of their new lair, she looked over her new room. It was a bit Spartan; they hadn't really been able to take a lot of their personal stuff with them, mostly focusing on taking technology and weapons. She did have the bare necessities though, a bed, a dresser, a makeshift vanity for her to pretty herself up with. She smiled a bit at that thought but looking good was just as important as any other part of her new job.

Absently, she moved over and dropped down into the chair, looking at herself in the large mirror that Kyd Wykkyd had ‘appropriated’ for her. She lifted a brush from the counter and started to run it through her short, but stylish hair. The problem of Jinx came back to her mind. Not that it was a problem, but she had a problem with _anyone_ giving _anything_ away for free. No, she could tell that the girl was still hung up on Ryouga, and she highly disapproved of the fact that she had pretty much handed him over to Raven on a silver platter.

Sure, it was a bit immature, but considering who her father was, she felt a bit of a need to play match maker bubbling up in her. Besides, it would probably get the unlucky girl off her couch that much faster too. After that... after that, well, she had a hundred plots already unfolding in her mind. She was giddy with anticipation, there were so many possibilities now, a whole world for her to swindle out of its hard-earned money.

She put the brush down and rooted around one of the drawers for her nail polish; it was around there somewhere. Ah! There it was, she lifted her prized bottle of silver plum nail polish out of the dresser and turned back to the mirror-

The bottle slipped from her fingers and smashed to the floor, as she gasped in horror! In the mirror! She spun quickly to look behind her... but her room was empty. She shook her head, breathing heavily from the fright she had received. The middle Tendo cursed to herself, it was _way too early_ in the game for her to start hallucinating from guilt! She looked down at the mess on her floor, and all over her foot for that matter, she'd have to get Gizmo to clean it up.

Still... she glanced back at the mirror again. It was normal again, nothing out of the ordinary anywhere. It was probably just a trick of the light, or some quirk of her imagination...but... but it had been _so clear_. She could have sworn that she saw a mask in the mirror, looking at her from the back of the room. A mask with only one eye and split down the middle, half orange, half black.

She rapped herself on the head lightly. Now she knew she was just imagining things, probably bad karma for tricking Robin so long ago. She banished the thought from her mind and decided to go see how her boys were doing. Not because she needed to get out of her room... just because she was bored.

That was it.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't notice the newest addition to her room for some time...

The strange imprint of a boot seemingly _melted_ into the floor on the far side of the room.

* * *

"-nd then, that's when Ryouga went totally nuclear and was about... about... to destroy..." His story was interrupted by a body wracking yawn, as he sat at the base of Terra's statue. Beast Boy felt his eyes begin to grow heavy and leaned back against the stone girl's narrow legs. He sure was tired, he'd forgotten how long he'd been talking, but he wanted to finish telling her what happened before he left.

"Yeah... the dude was almost... almost gonna blow up... blow up the whole... darn... darn... city..." he whispered, as the sandman finally battered him unconscious. Even asleep, he curled up against Terra's legs, trying to find a comfortable position. Soon enough, he was deep asleep, enjoying dreams of days long past, wandering down the streets with a certain blonde beauty hanging off his arm.

Thus, he didn't notice the tiny crack that formed, right at the very tip of the girl’s finger.

Or the one after that.

* * *

_Fin_

No, just kidding. Please continue to follow the exploits of the Nerima Crew and the Titans as they explore their common universe in Dark Titans. Just visit my profile page to find the story.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed.

And if not, that at least you tolerated

Cheers

Lathis


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